South-East Marine Protection Forum Mid-Winter Update

The South-East Marine Protection Forum met in Dunedin for two days on 31 July and 1 August to continue their site-specific deliberations.

Forum Chair, Maree Baker-Galloway says the Forum made good progress towards assessing and verifying all information available for each site that was consulted on.

“It’s important that the Forum has confidence that the information available to them on each site is accurate and can be relied upon before recommendations are made on which sites should be included in a network of marine protected areas.”

Some of the sources of information available to the Forum include an independent Summary of Submissions, an independent Summary of Science Submissions, and the submissions, all of which are now publicly accessible on the Forum’s website.

Maree Baker-Galloway says an almost full turn out of Forum members over the two days was quite an achievement given the transport challenges that winter has delivered to the region over the last month.

The Forum are scheduled to reconvene in late August to continue with deliberations.

Forum set to begin site-specific deliberations

The South-East Marine Protection Forum met in Dunedin for two days on 28 and 29 May in final preparation before beginning their site-specific deliberations.

Prior to this meeting, the Forum had been working on gathering together a number of resources to assist in its deliberations.  These resources include an independent Summary of Submissions, an independent Summary of Science Submissions, and Forum members’ own Stakeholder Summaries of Submissions. The compilation of all of these resources has been a mammoth effort given that the raw data being summarised has equalled more than 10,000 pages of submitters’ feedback.

The Forum chair, Maree Baker- Galloway says there’s a renewed vigour and sense of purpose around the table now that the site-specific deliberations are to begin.

“It has been a little frustrating not being able to get on with our deliberations, but I believe the wait has been worth it as we now have a wealth of information readily accessible to inform our decision making.”

The Forum, which has requested more time to deliver its Recommendation Report to Ministers, is still in dialogue with the supporting government agencies on what would be a mutually acceptable and realistic timeframe. A decision on the revised timeframe is expected in the near future.

The Forum are scheduled to reconvene in early June to continue with deliberations.

NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2017

 

2800 Submissions Received on Marine Protection Proposals

Thanks to each and every one of you who provided a submission. We have received a total of approximately 2800 submissions. Forum Chair, Maree Baker- Galloway says she was very pleased at the number of responses, and wasn’t surprised at the high level of engagement which the consultation process has generated given the importance of the topic.

“The south-east coast is integral to so many people’s lives on a day to day basis, and for others supports important values they want to see protected.  I’m encouraged that so many members of the public have been motivated to have their say.”

We did receive some late submissions which have been approved by the Forum as they were deemed to not be holding up the submission’s analyst process in any way. No further late submissions will be accepted.

The Forum are currently working through the submissions received.  Also an independent analyst has been engaged to provide a summary of submissions which will be given to the Forum.  The feedback and information provided in the submissions will be considered in the Forum’s next round of deliberations and will be influential in shaping the Forum’s final recommendations to government.

Any recommendations that the government accept will then be required to go through the relevant statutory process before implementation, such as under the Fisheries Act and Marine Reserves Act for example, or through the creation of special legislation.

Forum Welcomes Steve Bennett as New Recreational Fisher Representative.

New Forum member Steve Bennett, was welcomed in January, at the Forum’s first meeting for 2017. Steve Bennett’s ministerial appointment was announced in mid – December last year. He fills the vacant position left by Mr Nelson Cross.

Steve Bennett is the current secretary of the Green Island Fishing Club as well as a trustee and current chair of the Dunedin Community Salmon Trust.  He has worked for the Department of Internal Affairs for 26 years as a Community Development Advisor working with local government, iwi and community groups in policy and project management roles.

Steve Bennett says he’s looking forward to being involved in the Forum’s process.

“I’ve been a keen recreational fisher, diver and white baiter in the Otago area for the last 50 years, and I am passionate about protecting the marine environment for use by future generations. I am looking forward to the opportunity to contribute to and progress the important work of the Forum.”

Forum Chair, Maree Baker-Galloway says

“I am very pleased to welcome Steve as a new member of the Forum and as our second member formally representing recreational fishing interests.  I look forward to his contribution and working with him.”

South-East Marine Protection Forum Members

New Member Appointed to the South-East Marine Protection Forum

The Minister of Conservation and the Minister for Primary Industries have endorsed the appointment of Steve Bennett as a recreational fishers’ representative on the Forum. Mr Bennett is the current secretary of the Green Island Fishing Club as well as a trustee and current chair of the Dunedin Community Salmon Trust.  He has worked for the Department of Internal Affairs for 26 years as a Community Development Advisor working with local government, iwi and community groups in policy and project management roles.

Steve Bennett says he’s looking forward to being involved in the Forum’s process.

“I’ve been a keen recreational fisher, diver and white baiter in the Otago area for the last 50 years, and I am passionate about protecting the marine environment for use by future generations. I am looking forward to the opportunity to contribute to and progress the important work of the Forum and I strongly encourage everyone to have their say in this process for the future of our marine resource.”

Forum Chair, Maree Baker-Galloway says Mr Bennett’s nomination was endorsed by the Green Island Fishing Club, Dunedin Community Salmon Trust, Saddle Hill Community Board and the Brighton Club Inc.

She says, “I am very pleased to welcome Steve as a new member of the Forum and as our second member formally representing recreational fishing interests, with his longstanding connection with the marine environment and interest in recreational fishing.  I look forward to his contribution and working with him.”

Mr Bennett’s appointment fills the vacant position left by Mr Nelson Cross.

The Forum was established in 2014 by the Minister of Conservation and the Minister for Primary Industries, and is supported by both DOC and MPI staff.  A key objective under the Marine Protected Areas Policy is to ensure a collaborative process, where all regional key stakeholder views are represented when identifying and establishing new marine reserves.

After two years of fact finding and stakeholder consultation, the Forum is now consulting on 20 proposed sites for possible inclusion in a network of marine protected areas for the South Island’s South- East Coast. Submissions close on Tuesday 20 December.

Erratum

The South-East Marine Protection Forum’s consultation document, PROPOSED MARINE PROTECTED AREAS FOR NEW ZEALAND’S SOUTH ISLAND SOUTH-EAST COAST, published on 25 October 2016, contains errors within Volume 1. Please view the errors by following this link. The corrected version of Volume 1 can be downloaded from the YourSay page of the website.