Latest news with #WarrenMaher
Scoop
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Health Of The Hauraki Gulf Declines As Delay To Marine Protection Approaches One-year Mark
Press Release – Hauraki Gulf Forum If the Bill is not passed next week, it will have been over a year since the Environment Select Committee unanimously recommended that the Bill be passed by the time Parliament reconvenes at the end of June. The Hauraki Gulf Forum is calling on the Government to progress the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill without further delay. 'It has been more than six months since the second reading of the Bill was interrupted, with no indication that it will be progressed any time soon.' says Nicola Rata-MacDonald, Co-Chair of the Forum. 'If the Bill is not passed next week, it will have been over a year since the Environment Select Committee unanimously recommended that the Bill be passed by the time Parliament reconvenes at the end of June.' 'Once passed, the new marine protections will enable us to make the most significant progress towards restoring the Gulf since the marine park was established over 25 years ago.' Cr Warren Maher, Co-Chair of the Forum, says the constant stalling and postponement of legislative progress is impacting years of restoration efforts by communities across the Gulf. 'Constantly kicking the can down the road when we are so close to making real progress is a kick in the guts for everyone who has worked to ensure the Gulf is protected and restored.' Warren says. 'Our message to the Government is simple: pass the Bill, and let us get on with restoring the Gulf to ensure it thrives for generations to come.' Notes: More information on the Forum and the Marine Park is available at Timeline: Progress of the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill 22 August 2023: Bill introduced to Parliament. 29 August 2023: First reading and referral to the Environment Select Committee. 1 November 2023: Submissions closed. 6 December 2023: Bill reinstated with the Environment Select Committee following the 2023 General Election, and the Business Committee agrees that all bills before select committees shall be reported to the House by 29 March 2024. 31 January 2024: the date by which the Environment Committee must report the Bill back to the House is extended from 29 March 2024 to 29 May 2024. March 2024: Environment Select Committee completes hearing of oral submissions on the Bill. 10 April 2024: the date by which the Environment Committee must report the Bill back to the House is extended from 29 May 2024 to 20 June 2024. 20 June 2024: Environment Committee reports the Bill to the House, with unanimous support for the Bill to be passed as reported. 13 October 2024: Minister of Conservation announces changes will be made to the Bill to allow commercial ring-net fishing within protected areas. 14 November 2024: Second reading (interrupted). 30 May 2025 (today): The Bill remains at its interrupted second reading stage, and the Government's intended changes are still to be published despite being announced 230 days ago.
Scoop
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Health Of The Hauraki Gulf Declines As Delay To Marine Protection Approaches One-year Mark
The Hauraki Gulf Forum is calling on the Government to progress the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill without further delay. 'It has been more than six months since the second reading of the Bill was interrupted, with no indication that it will be progressed any time soon.' says Nicola Rata-MacDonald, Co-Chair of the Forum. 'If the Bill is not passed next week, it will have been over a year since the Environment Select Committee unanimously recommended that the Bill be passed by the time Parliament reconvenes at the end of June.' 'Once passed, the new marine protections will enable us to make the most significant progress towards restoring the Gulf since the marine park was established over 25 years ago.' Cr Warren Maher, Co-Chair of the Forum, says the constant stalling and postponement of legislative progress is impacting years of restoration efforts by communities across the Gulf. 'Constantly kicking the can down the road when we are so close to making real progress is a kick in the guts for everyone who has worked to ensure the Gulf is protected and restored.' Warren says. 'Our message to the Government is simple: pass the Bill, and let us get on with restoring the Gulf to ensure it thrives for generations to come.' More information on the Forum and the Marine Park is available at Timeline: Progress of the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill 22 August 2023: Bill introduced to Parliament. 29 August 2023: First reading and referral to the Environment Select Committee. 1 November 2023: Submissions closed. 6 December 2023: Bill reinstated with the Environment Select Committee following the 2023 General Election, and the Business Committee agrees that all bills before select committees shall be reported to the House by 29 March 2024. 31 January 2024: the date by which the Environment Committee must report the Bill back to the House is extended from 29 March 2024 to 29 May 2024. March 2024: Environment Select Committee completes hearing of oral submissions on the Bill. 10 April 2024: the date by which the Environment Committee must report the Bill back to the House is extended from 29 May 2024 to 20 June 2024. 20 June 2024: Environment Committee reports the Bill to the House, with unanimous support for the Bill to be passed as reported. 13 October 2024: Minister of Conservation announces changes will be made to the Bill to allow commercial ring-net fishing within protected areas. 14 November 2024: Second reading (interrupted). 30 May 2025 (today): The Bill remains at its interrupted second reading stage, and the Government's intended changes are still to be published despite being announced 230 days ago.
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Revitalising The Gulf At Risk With Continuation Of Bottom Trawling
Press Release – Hauraki Gulf Forum The Hauraki Gulf Forum has continually expressed concern about trawling in the Gulf, and advocates for the removal of fishing methods that damage the seafloor, says interim Executive Officer of the Forum, Katina Conomos. Progress on revitalising the Hauraki Gulf is at risk with the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries confirming the Government will not implement trawl corridors. The Hauraki Gulf Forum has expressed concern at the Minister's comments, made at the Environmental Defence Society's Oceans Symposium in Auckland yesterday, and are calling for urgent action to prevent a further decline in the health of the Marine Park. 'The Hauraki Gulf Forum has continually expressed concern about trawling in the Gulf, and advocates for the removal of fishing methods that damage the seafloor,' says interim Executive Officer of the Forum, Katina Conomos. 'Bottom contact fishing destroys benthic habitats and the marine environments they support. We can and should do better than continue to allow these types of destructive fishing practices, it is not sustainable.' Restricting bottom trawling is a significant plank in the Government's response to SeaChange, alongside the creation of Marine Protected Areas through the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill and local marine management by Mana Whenua and local communities through Ahu Moana. 'Our communities want to see the Gulf thrive for generations to come, with abundant fish populations supported by a thriving marine ecosystem. To achieve this, we need urgent action to reverse the ongoing decline in the health of the Gulf.' says Cr Warren Maher, Co-Chair of the Forum. 'Abandoning action on trawl corridors, which has been awaiting a decision since 2023, will severely degrade any progress towards a revitalised Gulf.' Notes: The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is New Zealand's first marine park, established by the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act in February 2000. At 1.2 million hectares (20 times the size of Lake Taupō) it stretches from Te Arai in the north to Waihi in the south and includes the Waitematā Harbour, Gulf Islands, Firth of Thames and the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. The Park is the seabird capital of the world, and a whale superhighway, but as successive State of the Gulf reports have shown, it is a shadow of its former self. The Hauraki Gulf Forum The Hauraki Gulf Forum is a statutory governance board established under the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act 2000 to promote the conservation and management of the natural, historic, and physical resources of the Hauraki Gulf, its islands, and catchments, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people and communities of the Gulf and New Zealand. The Forum consists of representatives from tangata whenua of the Hauraki Gulf and its islands; the Ministers of Conservation, Oceans and Fisheries and Māori Development; and elected members appointed by the Auckland Council, Hauraki District Council, Matamata-Piako District Council, Thames-Coromandel District Council, Waikato District Council and Waikato Regional Council. The Forum is required to present triennial reports regarding the state of the environment of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. More information on the Forum and the Marine Park is available at
Scoop
13-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Revitalising The Gulf At Risk With Continuation Of Bottom Trawling
Press Release – Hauraki Gulf Forum Progress on revitalising the Hauraki Gulf is at risk with the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries confirming the Government will not implement trawl corridors. The Hauraki Gulf Forum has expressed concern at the Minister's comments, made at the Environmental Defence Society's Oceans Symposium in Auckland yesterday, and are calling for urgent action to prevent a further decline in the health of the Marine Park. 'The Hauraki Gulf Forum has continually expressed concern about trawling in the Gulf, and advocates for the removal of fishing methods that damage the seafloor,' says interim Executive Officer of the Forum, Katina Conomos. 'Bottom contact fishing destroys benthic habitats and the marine environments they support. We can and should do better than continue to allow these types of destructive fishing practices, it is not sustainable.' Restricting bottom trawling is a significant plank in the Government's response to SeaChange, alongside the creation of Marine Protected Areas through the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill and local marine management by Mana Whenua and local communities through Ahu Moana. 'Our communities want to see the Gulf thrive for generations to come, with abundant fish populations supported by a thriving marine ecosystem. To achieve this, we need urgent action to reverse the ongoing decline in the health of the Gulf.' says Cr Warren Maher, Co-Chair of the Forum. 'Abandoning action on trawl corridors, which has been awaiting a decision since 2023, will severely degrade any progress towards a revitalised Gulf.' Notes: The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is New Zealand's first marine park, established by the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act in February 2000. At 1.2 million hectares (20 times the size of Lake Taupō) it stretches from Te Arai in the north to Waihi in the south and includes the Waitematā Harbour, Gulf Islands, Firth of Thames and the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. The Park is the seabird capital of the world, and a whale superhighway, but as successive State of the Gulf reports have shown, it is a shadow of its former self. The Hauraki Gulf Forum The Hauraki Gulf Forum is a statutory governance board established under the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act 2000 to promote the conservation and management of the natural, historic, and physical resources of the Hauraki Gulf, its islands, and catchments, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people and communities of the Gulf and New Zealand. The Forum consists of representatives from tangata whenua of the Hauraki Gulf and its islands; the Ministers of Conservation, Oceans and Fisheries and Māori Development; and elected members appointed by the Auckland Council, Hauraki District Council, Matamata-Piako District Council, Thames-Coromandel District Council, Waikato District Council and Waikato Regional Council. The Forum is required to present triennial reports regarding the state of the environment of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. More information on the Forum and the Marine Park is available at
Scoop
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Revitalising The Gulf At Risk With Continuation Of Bottom Trawling
Press Release – Hauraki Gulf Forum The Hauraki Gulf Forum has continually expressed concern about trawling in the Gulf, and advocates for the removal of fishing methods that damage the seafloor, says interim Executive Officer of the Forum, Katina Conomos. Progress on revitalising the Hauraki Gulf is at risk with the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries confirming the Government will not implement trawl corridors. The Hauraki Gulf Forum has expressed concern at the Minister's comments, made at the Environmental Defence Society's Oceans Symposium in Auckland yesterday, and are calling for urgent action to prevent a further decline in the health of the Marine Park. 'The Hauraki Gulf Forum has continually expressed concern about trawling in the Gulf, and advocates for the removal of fishing methods that damage the seafloor,' says interim Executive Officer of the Forum, Katina Conomos. 'Bottom contact fishing destroys benthic habitats and the marine environments they support. We can and should do better than continue to allow these types of destructive fishing practices, it is not sustainable.' Restricting bottom trawling is a significant plank in the Government's response to SeaChange, alongside the creation of Marine Protected Areas through the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill and local marine management by Mana Whenua and local communities through Ahu Moana. 'Our communities want to see the Gulf thrive for generations to come, with abundant fish populations supported by a thriving marine ecosystem. To achieve this, we need urgent action to reverse the ongoing decline in the health of the Gulf.' says Cr Warren Maher, Co-Chair of the Forum. 'Abandoning action on trawl corridors, which has been awaiting a decision since 2023, will severely degrade any progress towards a revitalised Gulf.' Notes: The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is New Zealand's first marine park, established by the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act in February 2000. At 1.2 million hectares (20 times the size of Lake Taupō) it stretches from Te Arai in the north to Waihi in the south and includes the Waitematā Harbour, Gulf Islands, Firth of Thames and the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula. The Park is the seabird capital of the world, and a whale superhighway, but as successive State of the Gulf reports have shown, it is a shadow of its former self. The Hauraki Gulf Forum The Hauraki Gulf Forum is a statutory governance board established under the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act 2000 to promote the conservation and management of the natural, historic, and physical resources of the Hauraki Gulf, its islands, and catchments, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people and communities of the Gulf and New Zealand. The Forum consists of representatives from tangata whenua of the Hauraki Gulf and its islands; the Ministers of Conservation, Oceans and Fisheries and Māori Development; and elected members appointed by the Auckland Council, Hauraki District Council, Matamata-Piako District Council, Thames-Coromandel District Council, Waikato District Council and Waikato Regional Council. The Forum is required to present triennial reports regarding the state of the environment of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. More information on the Forum and the Marine Park is available at
