Smith Nick: Kaikōura (Te Tai-o-Marokura) Marine Management Bill — First ReadingText is incorporated into the Bound VolumeSmith Nick: Kaikōura (Te Tai-o-Marokura) Marine Management Bill — First Reading[Sitting date: 20 March 2014. Volume:697;Page:16917. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.]Hon Dr NICK SMITH (Minister of Conservation):I move That the Kaikōura (Te Tai-o-Marokura) Marine Management Bill be now read a first time. I nominate the Local Government and Environment Committee to consider this bill.This bill is part of this Government’s blue-green agenda to improve New Zealand’s marine management while we also strengthen our economy. It creates a new marine reserve a new whale sanctuary a new seal sanctuary five new customary fishing areas and it tightens recreational catch limits in the Kaikōura area. Its provisions will not only benefit—The ASSISTANT SPEAKER (H V Ross Robertson): Order! Would members leaving the Chamber please show some courtesy to the member trying to address the business of the House. It is good conduct and being considerate of others. Thank you.Hon Dr NICK SMITH: Thank you Mr Assistant Speaker. Its provisions will not only benefit Kaikōura’s whales its dolphins its seals its albatrosses its rock lobsters its shellfish and its finfish but also safeguard and sustain that region’s $134 million-a-year tourism industry.The rugged Kaikōura Peninsula and its snow-capped mountains stand out as a jewel within New Zealand’s coastal environment. The deep canyon of Kaikōura makes its waters the most biologically productive in the world at depths of over 500 metres and supporting a stunning diversity of marine wildlife. I am advised by scientific experts in marine conservation that the level of marine life at those depths is a hundred times greater than the next most prolific area emphasising just how special that Kaikōura marine habitat is. Marine mammals like our sperm whales humpback whales blue whales southern white whales the orca the dusky dolphin and Hector’s dolphins already knew this long before our scientists surveyed this area as can be seen by how often they hung out in these rich waters.Its waters also support our largest New Zealand fur seal breeding colony. Since 1988 when the first whale-watching boat was launched Kaikōura has gained a global reputation for this unparalleled marine biodiversity. The region has witnessed a rapid and successful expansion of that marine tourism including dolphin swimming seal encounters and snorkelling as well as fishing. But until now Kaikōura’s marine treasures have not been subject to any formal protection. Recreational fishing charter fishing and legal fishing practices have meanwhile been placing unsustainable pressures on local fish stocks especially in respect of the cherished local crayfish.The ambition to better protect Kaikōura’s marine environment goes back at least two decades. When I first engaged in this issue in the 1990s the divisions in the community were as deep as the ocean canyons adjacent to the Kaikōura coast. It has been so encouraging over the past few years to return to Kaikōura to meet with local conservationists fishers and iwi to see them working together and to see the package of marine protection measures that have now been agreed by consensus.I particularly want to acknowledge Colin King the MP for Kaikōura who early in his career and even before he was elected persuaded me to don a wetsuit flippers and a snorkel in the middle of winter to help make the case for marine protection. His advocacy for these marine protection measures has been consistent. I also want to acknowledge my other colleagues who have played a significant role particularly the Minister for Primary Industries Nathan Guy and his ministry; Amy Adams the Minister for the Environment whose ministry has also helped fund the Te Korowai process; and those officials who have diligently worked since these proposals were presented in 2012. The Kaikōura marine strategy is ultimately the beginning of this bill and is the positive outcome of all of this work.There are six key elements of that strategy that are implemented with this bill. The first is a new marine reserve the Hikurangi Marine Reserve covering 10400 hectares over the deep Kaikōura canyon. The proposed marine reserves include that area that is the critical habitat for the resident sperm whales. That area is an absolute no-take zone in respect of no fishing no mining no marine farming and no exploration.The second major initiative is a whale sanctuary covering 4500 square kilometres and extending out beyond the territorial sea into the exclusive economic zone. The sanctuary will protect whales by placing restrictions on seismic survey activities in that area. It prohibits those high-level seismic survey works associated with petroleum exploration but it quite deliberately allows those lower-level seismic works—for instance to be able to investigate the sorts of risk from tsunamis that have been highlighted in technical reports released today.A third measure is a New Zealand fur seal sanctuary at Ōhau Point. This is the most significant breeding colony on the New Zealand mainland islands for this endemic species of New Zealand. Access to Ōhau Point will be restricted but people will still be able to observe those seals from the existing viewing areas and from the water.The fourth element of this bill is the customary fishing areas which include two newtaiāpure local fisheries and threemātaitai reserves. This vital cultural element will restore and maintain traditional food-gathering areas of special significance to Ngāti Kurī of Ngāi Tahu. It will enable Ngāti Kurī to utilise traditional knowledge and customs to protect those fishing areas.A fifth and important part of the changes in this bill is the tightening of recreational amateur fishing regulations. These will result in reductions in bag limits for the number of finfish and shellfish species. For example there will be a daily limit on some seaweeds and a reduction in bag limits for tarakihi kahawai butterfish and blue moki as well as prohibiting the take of red moki and requiring tail clipping for recreationally caught crayfish. This will discourage illegal black market sales as the ability to store quantities of recreationally caught crayfish will be limited.The final part of this package is a new ministerial advisory committee to provide an ongoing role in respect of the conservation and fishery issues in Kaikōura.I want to square off three criticisms by Opposition members of the Prime Minister’s announcement of this bill. The first is from Labour MP Ruth Dyson who said that the only progress this Government is making is on low-hanging fruit. I remind that member that the proposal for the Akaroa marine reserve sat on the desk of Labour conservation Ministers for 9 years without moving and for her to now suggest that this Government progresses only the easy issues in conservation is simply untrue.I also remind Labour and its support partner the Greens that 34 petroleum wells were drilled in the ocean during their term in Government without any consents being required or any environmental assessment. It is only under this Government with the establishment of the Environmental Protection Authority and the exclusive economic zone legislation that we now have a robust system for managing the risks of petroleum and minerals exploration in our vast oceans. I simply ask members opposite where they were for the 9 years when that work took place.I also believe that it is rather churlish of members opposite to be critical of the size of this new Kaikōura reserve. It will be the largest marine reserve on any of New Zealand’s main islands. It is actually larger than all of the nine reserves that were created in Fiordland added together. Inevitably it has involved compromises but it covers the unique deep canyon off the Kaikōura coast that is most deserving of this high level of protection.I also want to put this bill in the broader context of this Government’s work in the area of marine conservation. It is our view that the ocean environment which is 20 times our land area is the new frontier for conservation. That is why this year our Government will pass and put in place a record number of marine reserves and why we are also progressing very substantive work on a new piece of legislation for marine protected areas to enable us to be able to progress these sorts of reserves without the need for special legislation.I would also note the work that this Government is doing in terms of the Ross Sea which is known as the last ocean in the world. We are making progress in the international negotiations around the protection of that area too.I am one of those who are proud of not just this Government but this country’s record in respect of marine conservation. I note that the international Marine Policy journal looked at 68 major countries with marine resources and said that New Zealand’s record was the very best in terms of conservation management of our oceans. This is a good bill a huge amount of work has gone into it and I commend it to the House.