Letter

Urge New Zealand to Reverse the Decision to Allow Harmful Fishing in Hauraki Gulf Protected Waters

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Add your name to the open letter urging New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to reverse the rash, last-minute decision to allow harmful commercial fishing in high protection areas in the treasured Hauraki Gulf.

The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana is on the brink of ecological collapse.

Overfishing, habitat loss, pollution, and the effects of poorly planned urban development have led to a 57% decline in key fish stocks, a 67% decline in seabirds, and a 97% decline in whales and dolphins in the Gulf. Scallop and crayfish populations are functionally extinct in some areas.

The creation of new marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Hauraki Gulf is critical to protecting and restoring its environment, while also supporting the communities and industries that depend on the Gulf for their livelihoods.

The Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Bill seeks to establish 2 marine reserves, 5 seafloor protection areas, and 12 high protection areas in the Hauraki Gulf, acknowledging customary rights within seafloor protection areas and high protection areas.

The Bill is the result of years of collaborative work between tangata whenua, environmental groups, commercial and recreational fishers and others involved in the SeaChange process that began in 2013.

In June, the Environment Select Committee unanimously agreed to advance the Bill, with no substantive changes to the high protection areas.

Now, the future of Hauraki Gulf is at risk because the Government has made the decision to amend the Bill to allow a type of fishing known as ring-netting to take place in the new high protection areas — zones explicitly designed to exclude both commercial and recreational fishing and provide a safe haven for marine life to recover.

Allowing commercial fishing to occur in these high protection areas completely undermines the purpose of the Bill — to restore the health and mauri of the Gulf — ultimately depriving future generations of the ability to enjoy this treasured place.

Sign our open letter calling on Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to reverse this rash, last-minute change to the Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Bill.

Click here to view the letter.

Supporters

Anna W

our world deserve better

8 hours ago

Nadya S

I want as much nature and animals as possible to be saved and protected

8 hours ago

Ahmed R

I love everything regarding the ocean and its many marine ecosystems, especially its well being. We only get one, so it's best we do all we can to pre…

1 day ago

Lesley M

nature needs protecting from mans greed

1 day ago

Gillian F

NZ fishing waters are unique and more physical damage + world heating damage, that this needs to be stopped.

1 day ago

Linda P

I am signing this petition because I believe that all members of the Animal Kingdom have rights.

2 days ago

Marge M

we have an to obligation to the future.

2 days ago

Jessica D

I care about fishes.

3 days ago

Aida J

becouse we have to save oceans and aquatics

6 days ago

Linda P

the future needs protecting

6 days ago

K J

if areas are protected those areas should stay that way to protect the earth

1 week ago

Ayana J

too many animals killed by humans, then other animals don't have food. then you run out of food.

1 week ago

Chad R

Because industrial fishing is not "protection"

1 week ago

jason k

protecting nature that cant protect itself

1 week ago

Logan D

please save the ocean!!

1 week ago

Jodi Ann A

conservation is all that is important.

1 week ago

Ioana S

conservation is essential to survival of our speices

1 week ago

Allison P

Allowing commercial ring-net fishing to take place undermines the whole point of protection. Our oceans need safe havens for so many reasons includin…

1 week ago

Marina G

we are supposed to make smart decision about protecting our eco systems, not undoing whatever good we’ve accomplished. New Zealand, you can do better…

1 week ago

Pedro O

We need to protect the environment wherever we can. These are the last sanctuaries in which wildlife can recover from our human overconsumption.

1 week ago

wicka f

Disappointed ! They have worked to create a protected area in ocean but fishing has been allowed in it ! So contradictory like policy ! Poor militants…

1 week ago

Massimo P

Because i would like to give my contribution for the right thing and for the nature perservance

1 week ago

Christine V

we must keep safe areas for wildlife to rest and recover

1 week ago

J Chris S

It's just plain wrong. You need to keep it as pure as you possibly can.

1 week ago

Marie-Louise S

this marin environment has to be protected!

1 week ago

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