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Draft Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan

Updates

21 August 2024 – Release of submissions

Fisheries New Zealand received over 10,000 submissions on the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan. This included submissions from individuals, stakeholder groups, and templated (form) submissions through organisations’ websites.

Both Greenpeace Aotearoa and the Hauraki Gulf Alliance encouraged public submissions through online forms hosted on their websites. Submissions made through these online forms included a pre-set response and a space for submitters to include any additional thoughts. We received 1,270 responses through the Greenpeace form, and 7,798 responses through the Hauraki Gulf Alliance form.

Fisheries New Zealand also received a large number of submissions from individuals who opposed co-governance arrangements with Māori. An email circulated by the Gulf Users Group encouraged individual submissions and included some suggested wording opposing co-governance arrangements. Fisheries New Zealand considered 1,191 submissions to have been submitted as a result of the email circulated by the Gulf Users Group.

A copy of the submissions on the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan is now available. Two example submissions from each of the 3 groups previously mentioned have been included, as well as the remaining individual submissions, including those from stakeholder groups.

Submissions on the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan [PDF, 14 MB]

9 August 2023 – The Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan

The Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan has been approved by the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries.  

The development and implementation of a Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan is one of the key actions in Revitalising the Gulf. The plan sets out an ecosystem-based approach to managing fisheries, and the effects of fishing, within the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana / Te Moananui-ā-Toi. It is the first area-based fisheries plan approved under the Fisheries Act 1996. 

Fisheries New Zealand worked with the Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan Advisory Group to incorporate feedback from tangata whenua and views from public consultation to produce the final version of the plan.   

Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan [PDF, 14 MB]

Find out more

New marine protections in the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana – Department of Conservation

Revitalising the Hauraki Gulf: Government action on the Sea Change Plan

Consultation background

Fisheries New Zealand sought feedback on the Draft Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan.

Draft Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan [PDF, 4.5 MB]

Summary of what was proposed

Revitalising the Gulf was released in June 2021 and provided Government leadership across how we manage one of the country’s most valued and intensively used coastal spaces. It set out a package of marine conservation and fisheries management actions to restore a healthy Hauraki Gulf.

One of the key actions in Revitalising the Gulf was the development of a fisheries plan under section 11A of the Fisheries Act 1996.

When approved, it would be New Zealand's first area-based fisheries plan. It would set out how we would take an ecosystem-based approach to managing fisheries, and the effects of fishing, within the Hauraki Gulf.

The draft plan proposed a range of integrated management actions including:

  • removing bottom trawl and Danish seine fishing except within limited areas or "trawl corridors" (subject to further consultation by mid-2023)
  • improved management of scallop fisheries in the Hauraki Gulf
  • restoring fisheries abundance at the stock level and within the Gulf through management strategies to address localised depletion
  • reviewing intertidal harvesting controls
  • supporting greater mana whenua and regional participation in fisheries management.

Find out more about Revitalising the Gulf

Ecosystem-based fisheries management in the Hauraki Gulf

The draft plan demonstrated the Government's commitment to progress an ecosystem-based fisheries management approach. It would be supported by a fisheries indicator and monitoring framework, which was being developed in collaboration with Sustainable Seas.

A plan developed though collaboration

Fisheries New Zealand worked closely with the Sea Change Ministerial Advisory Committee to respond to The Sea Change Plan's recommendations for fisheries management and development of the Draft Hauraki Gulf Fisheries Plan.

Further discussion with our treaty partners and stakeholders helped shape the proposals in the draft Fisheries Plan.

Work is underway

Immediate action is needed to restore the health of the Hauraki Gulf. This includes progressing the Trawl Corridors Project in parallel with the development of the wider fisheries plan.

Establishing trawl corridors was a management action in the draft plan, signalling the commitment to progressing this key piece of work. This action was part of a suite of measures within the plan to help achieve the objectives and long-term desired outcomes for fisheries in the Hauraki Gulf.

We welcomed feedback on these outcomes, objectives, and actions, including the proposal to establish trawl corridors, during public consultation on the draft plan.

Find out more about the trawl corridors project, including the timeframe for public consultation on trawl corridor options

Submissions are public information

Note that all, part, or a summary of your submission may be published on this website. Most often this happens when we issue a document that reviews the submissions received.

People can also ask for copies of submissions under the Official Information Act 1982 (OIA). The OIA says we must make the content of submissions available unless we have good reason for withholding it. Those reasons are detailed in sections 6 and 9 of the OIA.

If you think there are grounds to withhold specific information from publication, make this clear in your submission or contact us. Reasons may include that it discloses commercially sensitive or personal information. However, any decision MPI makes to withhold details can be reviewed by the Ombudsman, who may direct us to release it.

Official Information Act 1982 – NZ Legislation

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