Spotlight on Oceans
Our management of coastal and marine areas is in need of significant change. Many coastal areas are rapidly degrading, with the impacts of sedimentation, destructive fishing methods, localised overharvesting and climate change taking their toll. Kina barrens have replaced kelp forests along extensive tracts of the coastline.
Aotearoa New Zealand has jurisdiction over a very large marine domain, which is around 15 times the size of the country’s land area. Recent state of environment reporting has identified many conflicting uses and priorities in our oceans with some serious environmental degradation and imminent threats of species extinctions.
Our fisheries management system is in urgent need of overhaul, we need to roll out marine spatial planning regionally and we need modernised legislation for marine protected areas. We also need an effective framework and funding base for marine restoration. EDS is developing policy proposals to achieve these goals as well as supporting collaborative action on the ground. At the national level we are exploring the merits of an Oceans Commission, Oceans Act and National Oceans Strategy.
