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From: DAVID CLARKSON [Bay of Islands]
_: 5
Date: 17-12-09
Time: 09:34
CO-MANAGEMENT - A POSSIBLE WAY FORWARD FOR MARINE RESERVES. - A discussion document.
Disclaimer -
Firstly, this document gives my personal thoughts and views, and do not necessarily reflect those of BIOMP or any of its subgroups.
These views have been developed independently, without consultation with any other person or group.
Finally, the document is definitely not original, but rather my distillation of the thoughts and words of those much wiser and more knowledgeable than I.
The Crisis -
The Bay of Islands (BOI) marine environment is in crisis and suffering major stress.
This beautiful and historic part of NZ is under increasing pressure from conflicting use and development in the coastal marine area.
It is a very significant area of biodiversity, being a tropical/temperate transition zone.
It is also well known, both within NZ and internationally as an extremely popular tourist destination, has a high number of recreational fishers and divers, plus a significant increase in population and related coastal development.
The biodiversity and biomass within this coastal marine area have been significantly degraded, firstly by the excessive harvesting by commercial fishermen, and latterly by an increasing number and level of sophistication of recreational fishers.
As well, uncontrolled sedimentation, deteriorating water quality, particularly estuarine, and the effects of inappropriate development have severely traumatised many of the ecosystems within the Bay, further reducing the biodiversity and biomass.
The Bay has been at crisis point for the last couple of decades - for instance, from a purely selfish point of view, some of my favourite snorkel spots, that were filled with a multitude of fish of many types and hues, are now barren except for a couple of parore, spotties and kina, with everything covered with a thin layer of muddy slime.
Older fishermen and long term residents of the Bay no longer see the large schools of baitfish feeding on the plankton and krill, the huge schools of trevally along the Brett peninsula, the acres and acres of kahawai “boil” accompanied by wheeling terns.
Something must be done !!!!!
Yes, something must be done, as the present Govt is unwilling to invest in, or support sustainable management of the marine environment.
As well fisheries management, despite the much touted QMS, has generally fallen short of providing adequate protection for the wider marine ecosystems, with the principle of MSY fraught with dangers for both the target species as well as the wider marine ecosystems.
Safeguarding the life in our seas means protecting the full spectrum of species and their habitats.
This can be done most effectively by initiating active forms of ecosystem management in the Bay, with the development of fully protected Marine Protected Areas (MPA's) as a prime example.
With the abdication of the Govt in providing a national network of MPA's as it agreed to by International Treaty, it falls on the communities, both tangata whenua and pakeha to take on this crucial role.
A stumbling block for this management system being suggested and hopefully implemented, is the perceived clash between the property rights approach and the community based approach, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
Benefits of fully protected MPA's -
Fully protected MPA's (or “no take” Marine Reserves (MR's)) are an insurance against ignorance and management mistakes.
They do not replace other management systems, but are additional to and supportive of them.
Fully protected MPA's preserve elements of biodiversity not adequately covered by current fisheries management.
Some examples of the benefits of fully protected MPA's are as follows -
o They will help improve the environmental health of the BOI, which is the major remit of the BOIMP.
o As Bishop Ben Te Haara of Paihia said at one of our meetings “we need 'cupboards' in the BOI, to keep restocking the rest of the BOI”. A network of MPA's will provide these vitally needed 'cupboards'.
o Marine Protected Areas (MPA's), if well managed, help fish stocks replenish, which then increases yields in neighbouring areas. (Carl Gustaf Lundin, Head, IUCN Global Marine Programme).
o MPA's are not only good for Biodiversity, but also make money. (Julia Marton-Lefevre, Director General, IUCN).
o In the Egyptian Red Sea, 5 years after the establishment of Marine Reserves, fishing has increased by 66% in neighbouring areas. (IUCN Marine Protected Areas Summit).
o MPA's have already proved their worth through increased tourism and income from controlled fisheries. (2nd Annual International Protected Areas Congress, Washington,DC).
o The Earth's oceans are being destroyed at a much faster rate than they are being protected. (IUCN Marine Protected Areas Summit).
o Less than 1% of the world's oceans are currently protected compared to 12% of the land surface. World governments, including the NZ Govt, agreed under the UN Convention on Biological Diversity to increase this level of protection to 10% by 2010. By creating a network of fully protected MPA's, we will, in a small way, help the present Govt meet their International Treaty obligations.
o MPA's could help offset the costs of Climate Change. (“Future Seas” WWF Report). The sea and marine ecosystems are a crucial - and perhaps overlooked - natural ally to combat Climate Change. (Blue Carbon Report, FAO/UNESCO).
o On-going research to measure and monitor the health of the resident fisheries will provide valuable data for the development of further MPA's in the BOI or elsewhere.
o The Economic Benefit Analysis of the Goat Is Marine reserve done by Lou Hunt in June 2008 gave a total economic benefit to the Rodney district of $18.6 million per year, of which $12.1 million was in direct spend, as well as including the employment of 173 full time equivalents. Further, the economic benefit of the Poor Knights Marine reserve has been estimated at $9 million per year. (Jeroen Jongejans, BOIMP SGM 2008).
o And finally, Marine Reserves world-wide have led to increases in abundance, body size, biomass, and reproductive output of exploited species. We now have strong evidence that with the support of local communities, Marine Reserves offer a highly effective management tool. (Gell & Roberts, WWF).
The sorry history of MPA proposals in the BOI -
Attempts have been made in the Bay to set up a network of MPA's/Marine Reserves for 4 decades now, each attempt ending in failure.
There have been MPA proposals in the 1970's, a Min of Ag/Wildlife Service one in 1985, the DOC/MAF/BOI Swordfish Club one in 1993, and the BOI Coastal Watchdog/Landcare one in 2003 (as the “BOI Vision Trust”), that I am aware of.
It was this very issue that, in 2006, prompted the formation of the multi stakeholder BOIMP Inc, who in 2008/09 lobbied long and hard on behalf of the tangata whenua and stakeholders to get a voice on the Govt initiated NE Bioregion MPA Forum, which was to start in July 2009, until the present Govt withdrew the funding.
Te Komiti Whakature I Nga Taonga A Tangaroa have spent 7 years to date trying to establish the Te Puna Mahinga Mataitai.
Several other individuals have presented their plans for a system of MPA's as well.
The nett result of all that effort over 40 years is zero - no legal MPA's of any description in the Bay.
Certainly not a record to be proud of - so there must be something quite wrong with the process being used, a fatal flaw in our methodology.
The Problems -
1. As I mentioned earlier, there is a clash between the property right approach and the community based approach, each with their own respective strengths and weaknesses.
2. Further, there is a significant difference between Maori tikanga and DOC/MinFish management.
In the DOC/MinFish approach, systems are developed based on a limited number of scientific studies covering a particular point in time, whereas the Maori, a more holistic approach based on the accumulated knowledge of many generations.
Both have their limitations, but also a place, and a combination of both would give us the best and most comprehensive management practices.
3. Discussion to the 1988 Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment by Maori stated categorically - “Respect and protect what is there, restore what is lost”
Unfortunately, restoration by permanent protection was not and still is not a feature of customary Maori Resource Management, being based on the way things were, rather than the previously un-envisaged present crisis situation.
4. At present there is significant mistrust between and within stakeholder groups, and especially with the tangata whenua who fear further confiscation of resources and rights by the Crown.
The Answer - Co-Management ?
Therefore we must negotiate a way through this mine-field of mistrust and cultural differences, as we, the hapu and stakeholders of the BOI shape the way our marine environment is managed, to cope with the present crisis.
We would all agree that the present system is not working in providing marine sustainability and biodiversity objectives.
All of us can see that the “top down” management systems are just not working, and world-wide it is found that the “bottom up” management systems give better and more resilient results - it is a governance system that works !!
We are all starting to recognize the connections between land, fresh water and sea, and the very real, but often ignored, connections between human well-being and the health of the marine ecosystems.
And I firmly believe that the similarities in our views far outweigh our differences.
This opens the way to the principle of Co-Management.
Co-Management is not a new principle, being used for at least 6 examples of Marine Reserves in NZ already in operation.
Even the Australian Commonwealth and State Govt's are actively developing Aboriginal co-management of parks and reserves, including MR's.
Some examples of co-managed Marine reserves are -
- Te Tapuwae o Rongokako (The Footprint of Rongokako) Marine Reserve, established in 1999 by the Ngati Konohi and DOC. It is managed by a committee of 9 members being - o Ngati Konohi (5) o Commercial fishers (1) o Recreational fishers (1) o Conservation group (F&B) (1) o Conservation Board (1)
This reserve is adjoined by a mataitai, both being components of their Tangaroa Suite.
An interesting aspect of this reserve is the right of review after 25 years by the Ngati Konohi, which immediately removes the major impediment by Maori to the development of fully protected MPA's.
Te Angiangi Marine Reserve, Porangahau, of 446 ha was established in Oct 1997. The Te Angiangi Marine Reserve Committee is composed of - o Ngati Kere o Whatuiapiti o Taiwhenua o Tamatea o Commercial fishers o Campground users o Local communities o Adjoining landowner o East Coast Hawkes Bay Conservation Board
The local hapu and iwi lent their authority to the establishment of the Te Angiangi Marine Reserve, and continue to support its development.
- Kapiti Marine Reserve committee has half the places on it being representatives nominated by iwi, whilst the other positions are representatives of community, scientific and local interest groups.
- Te Whanganui A Hei/Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve is administered by a partnership of the Te Whanganui A Hei Marine Reserve Committee and DOC.
- Pohatu Marine Reserve Committee represents a range of interest groups including recreational and commercial fishers, local iwi, residents, F&B, DOC and the Akaroa Harbour Marine Protection Soc. This reserve was established in 1999, and is embedded in a taiapure.
As well, we can look at the excellent co-management model used by the Guardians of Fiordland/Ngai Tahu in the formation of the marine reserves within the Fiordland National Park, not forgetting the high profile current issue of the co-management of the Waikato River.
Under these conditions, the rights and obligations of the tangata whenua to exercise kaitiakitanga are not denied.
In fact, the creation of fully protected MPA's over part of, or near, customary fishing areas can be seen as an example of reciprocity between Articles 1 and 2 of the Treaty in action.
The community groups, fishers, conservation groups etc working alongside the hapu/iwi on these committees recognise the hapu/iwi as the kaitiaki with their mana moana.
And by also using the Gift and Gains process so successfully used by the Guardians of Fiordland, realising that overall our areas of agreement far outweigh our areas of disagreement, co-management for MPA's/MR's in the BOI is very possible.
In my opinion, co-management is the only way forward.
So let's get on with it !!!!!
David Clarkson.
Last changed: 17-Dec-2009