1. Question No. 1—Oceans and FisheriesHon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for Oceans and FisheriesORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSQuestion No. 1—Oceans and Fisheries1. Hon EUGENIE SAGE (Green) to the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries: Does he stand by his statement in October 2021 that We have ambitions to lift New Zealand's marine protected area so that we get closer to that 30 per cent"; if so when can New Zealanders expect to see new marine protected areas established to help us reach that target?Hon DAVID PARKER (Minister for Oceans and Fisheries) (remote): Yes it is Government policy to seek protection of 30 percent of marine areas over time. I'm currently working with the Minister of Conservation to create 18 new marine protected areas in the Hauraki Gulf. This will increase marine protection in the region to almost 18 percent by area an almost threefold increase. In addition to this we are progressing a proposal to create 12 new protected areas proposed by the South-East Marine Protection Forum off the south-east of the South Island. The proposed marine protected area network covers 1267 square kilometres or 14.2 percent of the south-east region considered by the forum. We also remain committed to creating the Kermadec / Rangitāhua Ocean Sanctuary to protect one of New Zealand's most biodiverse areas. The Government also plans to advance reform of the marine protected areas legislation. This is needed partly because the Marine Reserves Act only covers the territorial sea and not the exclusive economic zone and partly because the Marine Reserves Act has rigid conservation measures that may not be appropriate for all marine protected areas. Hon Eugenie Sage: When can we expect to see any of those proposals actually established as marine protected areas?Hon DAVID PARKER: Decisions in respect of the Hauraki Gulf marine protected areas are probably likely to be the first off the block and decisions on that are expected to be made later this year.Hon Eugenie Sage: What steps is he taking to give effect to the kaitiakitanga of hapū and iwi such as Ngāti Kuri and Te Aupōuri in the marine environment including around Rangitāhua?Hon DAVID PARKER: There has been engagement with all interested Māori groupings throughout the course of the last four years since we've tried to bring to fruition the Rangitāhua / Kermadecs protection issue. It's not constant with all iwi all of the time but I am aware that another round of consultation is about to take place.Hon Eugenie Sage: Will increasing the extent of marine protected areas in New Zealand waters include banning bottom trawling on seamounts and if not why not?Hon DAVID PARKER: Well I suppose if the member wished to include reductions in the scope of areas that are subject to bottom trawling the percentage that would be called marine protected areas in the Hauraki Gulf would be much higher than the 18 percent that I have already claimed. In respect of the effects of bottom trawling we do have a separate piece of work that we're engaging upon with the industry and environmental groups to advance those issues.Hon Eugenie Sage: Does he stand by the Government's oceans and fisheries work programme when there has been no apparent progress establishing new marine protection around Rangitāhua / the Kermadecs or on the South Island's south-east coast both of which are listed as key items in that initial work programme and if he stands by that work programme why?Hon DAVID PARKER: It's not correct that no progress has been made.Hon Eugenie Sage: Will he commit to establishing new marine protected areas at Rangitāhua and on the South Island's south-east coast by the end of the current parliamentary term?Hon DAVID PARKER: We're doing our utmost to achieve that."