Select committee hears gulf protection concerns

At least 20 fishing, environmental and community groups, many of them local, were in Auckland recently to make submissions to a parliamentary environment select committee on the Hauraki Gulf /Tikapa Moana Marine Protection Bill. The Bill’s proposals include extending the marine reserve at Cape Rodney – Okakari Point (Goat Island), bringing in five new seafloor protection areas where trawling would be banned and 12 new high protection areas, which include parts of the ocean at Little Barrier Island, Kawau Bay, Tiritiri Matangi and the Mokohīnau Islands. However, many people believe the protect...