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A temporary closure of the coastline around Army Bay and further afield is edging closer, with mana whenua Ngāti Manuhiri leading efforts to secure formal protection under the Fisheries Act.
Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust spokesperson Jesse Thompson says they have been working closely with Treaty Partners and relevant agencies to progress a formal Section 186a application for a temporary closure and restriction of fishing practices across the Mahurangi and Hibiscus Coast coastline.
“This work has been underway for several months and reflects our commitment to protecting the ecological and cultural integrity of this area through the appropriate legal and technical pathways.
“We support the growing public awareness of these issues – it’s encouraging to see so many people passionate about the health of our moana. However, meaningful and enforceable outcomes only come through proper statutory processes that rely on robust scientific assessments and formal engagement with the Crown.
“While some community members have publicly raised their concerns, we have not received any direct requests for support or offers of assistance to strengthen the formal processes we are following. Our focus remains on leading this mahi as mana whenua, in a way that is grounded in tikanga, science and collaboration,” he says.
Ngāti Manuhiri has previously condemned the indiscriminate gathering and in 2022 laid a rāhui to halt the practice in other parts of the Hauraki Gulf. The iwi has also supported mussel restoration projects and called for updated laws to reflect the growing pressure on marine ecosystems.
Once the section 186a goes in place, it will protect the area for a minimum of two years.
Community advocate Mark Lenton says Army Bay, among others, is in need of urgent recovery and that this a positive step, but it needs to happen soon before frustrated local residents start taking matters into their own hands, especially as spring approaches the gatherers are returning en masse.
He says a closure under section 186a would give local residents a way to support enforcement by working with MPI, but further steps are still needed, “including multilingual signage, updated quotas, and stronger public education otherwise they [gatherers] will just move onto another area of the coast that isn’t protected.”
The stripping of rock pools across the coast has been well-documented by local residents and in the media over the years. Species such as limpets, black nerite snails, hermit crabs, small crabs, and anemones have all but disappeared from the intertidal zone. Tools like chisels and piano wire have been used to extract crustaceans, while buckets of marine life are removed daily in peak season.
In May, Lenton presented to the Hauraki Gulf Forum, which includes Auckland Council, iwi and central government agencies. He called for updated limits and quotas, increased funding for Fisheries Officers and practical enforcement tools like beach wardens and heavier penalties for poaching.
At the meeting, the Forum passed a resolution calling for a report to be prepared recommending action to the authorities responsible for enforcement that addressed the loss of marine life in the foreshore and rock pools. This will be presented at its August 25 meeting in Hamilton.
