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| Hauraki Gulf Forum | |
|---|---|
| Name | Hauraki Gulf Forum |
| Formation | 2000 |
| Type | Statutory forum |
| Purpose | Coordination of management and protection of the Hauraki Gulf / Tikapa Moana / Tīkapa Moana |
| Location | Auckland, New Zealand |
| Region served | Hauraki Gulf |
| Parent organization | Resource Management Act 1991 (linked context) |
Hauraki Gulf Forum The Hauraki Gulf Forum is a statutory regional forum established to promote integrated management, protection, and enhancement of the Hauraki Gulf / Tikapa Moana / Tīkapa Moana and its islands, coastlines, and catchments. It links local authorities, central government agencies, and tangata whenua representatives to coordinate policy, planning, and stewardship across the marine and coastal environment. The forum works alongside entities such as Auckland Council, Waikato Regional Council, Department of Conservation (New Zealand), Ministry for the Environment (New Zealand), and iwi authorities to align statutory functions affecting the Gulf.
The idea for a multi-party management body emerged from pressures documented in reports by New Zealand Royal Commission on Auckland Governance, Auckland Regional Council reviews, and advocacy by environmental groups like Forest & Bird and community groups on Waiheke Island. Legislative action culminated in the 2000 amendment to the Resource Management Act 1991 that established the forum, reflecting precedents in regional collaborative models such as the Tamaki River partnerships and lessons from the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area processes. Early agendas responded to issues raised in the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Park concept, debates involving fishing interests such as the New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishermen, recreational stakeholders including the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, and research from institutions like the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research and Auckland University of Technology.
Membership is drawn from central government agencies such as the Department of Conservation (New Zealand), Ministry of Primary Industries (New Zealand), Ministry for the Environment (New Zealand), local authorities including Auckland Council, Waikato Regional Council, Thames-Coromandel District Council, Hauraki District Council, and representatives of tangata whenua from iwi such as Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Maru (Hauraki) and Ngāti Hei. Non-governmental stakeholders have been co-opted in advisory roles from organisations like Forest & Bird, Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari partners, the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society, and commercial sectors represented by Seafood New Zealand and the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron. Governance arrangements reference statutory instruments including the Resource Management Act 1991 and alignment with national strategies such as the New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy.
The forum’s statutory mandate, as set out in the amendment enabling its creation, is to promote the integrated management and protection of the Hauraki Gulf / Tikapa Moana / Tīkapa Moana. Core functions include advising on policy for agencies like the Ministry for Primary Industries (New Zealand), preparing strategic documents comparable to marine spatial planning tools used internationally by bodies such as the International Maritime Organization, and coordinating with conservation frameworks like the Marine Protected Areas Policy and the Fisheries Act 1996. The forum produces state reports, strategy recommendations, and advocacy positions influencing planning under the Resource Management Act 1991 and regional plans administered by Auckland Council and Waikato Regional Council.
Initiatives coordinated or influenced by the forum encompass restoration projects on islands such as Tiritiri Matangi, pest eradication programs involving partners like the Department of Conservation (New Zealand) and Forest & Bird, and marine conservation efforts linked to proposals for expanded marine reserves similar to Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve models. The forum interfaces with catchment management schemes affecting rivers like the Waihou River and Piako River, supports seabird recovery for species associated with Auckland Islands research, and champions water quality improvements akin to programmes run by Greater Wellington Regional Council. Collaborative projects include support for community groups on Rangitoto Island, fisheries stewardship pilots aligned with Deepwater Group and quota management discussions under the Fisheries Act 1996.
Tangata whenua participation is integral, with iwi and hapū such as Ngāti Paoa, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Maru (Hauraki), Te Kawerau ā Maki, and Ngāti Hei asserting customary interests, kaitiakitanga, and mana whenua rights. The forum interfaces with instruments and institutions like Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Waitangi Tribunal findings relevant to Tāmaki Makaurau settlements, and co-management arrangements exemplified by agreements with Department of Conservation (New Zealand)]. Māori customary practices, customary marine title claims under the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011, and iwi management plans inform the forum’s engagement on wahi tapu, customary fisheries, and cultural monitoring initiatives in partnership with agencies such as Ministry for Primary Industries (New Zealand).
The forum draws on science from organisations including National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Auckland University of Technology, University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington, and Crown Research Institutes. Monitoring programs address seabird populations, marine mammal distribution including New Zealand fur seal and common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), phytoplankton blooms, and benthic habitats mapped using techniques developed by Landcare Research. Collaborative research partnerships have produced reports aligning with global frameworks such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and inform adaptive management through inputs from the New Zealand Marine Sciences Society and international comparators like Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority studies.
The forum faces contestation over its advisory status versus statutory power, with stakeholders including regional councils, iwi, commercial fishing bodies like New Zealand Federation of Commercial Fishermen, and conservation NGOs disputing priorities. High-profile debates have involved proposed oil and gas exploration linked to companies operating under permits from NZ Petroleum & Minerals, tensions over aquaculture expansion similar to disputes in the Mussel Farming sector, and conflicts about marine protected area zoning paralleling controversies at Aotea / Great Barrier Island. Funding constraints, competing mandates among agencies such as Department of Conservation (New Zealand) and Ministry for the Environment (New Zealand), and reconciling customary rights post-Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 remain ongoing governance and implementation challenges.
Category:Regional environmental organisations of New Zealand