b'T rouble is brewingwhat was a deal to protect, restoreoccurred over 2015 and 2016. across the fishingand enhance the Hauraki Gulf. Two years of intense debate, community due toWhat we see today is a disgrace.consultation, and cooperation. We the new protectionWe have been left shortchanged,and other stakeholders poured areas that limitwith hefty restrictions to publicmore than 6000 hours into public fishing in thefishing for no real benefit tothis effort. The result was the Hauraki Gulf Marineimprove the health of theHauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan Park. Some groupsHauraki Gulf Marine Park. Sea Change released in 2017.are celebrating the passing of theWe invite you to feel and shareWe were told to be bold, brave, Marine Protection Bill enablingour frustrations and understandand ambitious. And we delivered. these new areas. We feel anger,why the Hauraki Gulf MarineThe Plan offered a real chance to sadness, and disappointment.Protection Act is not good enough. restore the mauri (life-force) of the What was intended to be a well- Gulf for everyone.The Sea Change rounded, restorative plan has fallenBEGINNING OF THE END Plan represented a groundbreaking short of any meaningful change. Discussions with the communityconsensus that promised a The Act has established twelveon a more vibrant Gulf started incarefully curated package of marine High Protection Areas (HPAs) that2013. Then, the NZSFC acceptedprotection including transitioning prohibit all recreational fishingan invitation to be a part ofaway from destructive bulk but allow for some commercialsomething meaningful, the Seaharvesting methods like trawling fishing in popular recreationalChange steering group. It wasand dredging, and the establishment fishing spots. There are also fiveobvious that the abundance andof innovative Special Management new seafloor protection areas andbiodiversity of the Gulf was inAreas to encourage high value, extensions to two marine reserves. decline, so we joined mana whenua,low extraction recreational Since 2004, the New Zealandcommercial fishing interests, localfishing activity at selected sites - Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC),and central government agencies,remarkable economy right where LegaSeas parent organisation, hasand recreational interests, to designwe need it, in the provinces.invested thousands of hours anda plan that would see the GulfIt was agreed that the Plan substantial resources into planning,bustling with marine life once again. would be adopted in its consulting, and collaborating onThe Sea Change planning processentirety. No cherry-picking.Much of the Aldermen Islands, a popular fishing spot is now closed off to all recreational fishing. Photo credit: Bella Muir /FISHINGINGODZONE51'