Huge reserve proposed to bolster fish stocks

By TONY GEE

Increasing pressure from recreational fishing is behind a proposal for a huge, fully protected marine reserve on Northland's east coast at Mimiwhangata, 50km north of Whangarei.

The plan is being promoted by the Department of Conservation and the hapu of Te Uri O Hikihiki for Mimiwhangata, which lies about half-way between Cape Brett and Bream Head.

The proposal is to be publicly launched on Monday with an informal discussion document starting a three-month community consultation.

If a fully fledged, no-take marine reserve is created with no commercial, recreational or harvest fishing allowed, Mimiwhangata would be one of the biggest marine reserves in the country.

It would cover up to 11,200ha under one option, or 7200ha under another.

Under both reserve options, the length of shoreline within the existing Mimiwhangata marine park would be reduced, but the reserve would extend much further out to sea - about 9km on average for the bigger option and 6.5km for the smaller area.

The current marine park, covering about 2000ha, was established in 1984 and 10 years later commercial fishing was banned together with long lines, nets and weighted hooks.

Recreational fishing is allowed with floating lines, unweighted single hooks and spear guns.

But studies over the last three years show Mimiwhangata's marine environment, together with snapper and crayfish stocks, has not recovered when compared with survey data from the 1970s.

"The comparisons are not good," said Department of Conservation area manager John Gardiner.

"The marine park status at Mimiwhangata isn't working."

Vince Kerr, marine advocate and biologist, said there had been no real change in fish stocks compared with other areas inside and outside marine reserves.

Mimiwhangata had low levels of any size of snapper, especially legal size, compared with outside areas and fully protected areas.

There was a similar finding for crayfish.

"Mimiwhangata is tracking along about the same as other areas with no protection," Mr Kerr said.

There had been no recovery in fish stock numbers while fishing was restricted to only recreational.

Boat count surveys over the peak summer holiday period showed up to 100 boats a day fishing at Mimiwhangata, reducing to one or two during winter months.

"There has to be a concern that there's an increase in recreational fishing pressure," Mr Kerr said.

Mimiwhangata is also home to rare and subtropical species. These include foxfish, combfish, spotted black grouper and tropical surgeonfish.

The area has complex reefs with some places up to 100m deep.

Recent investigations have shown major marine habitat changes in which kelp forests have been dramatically reduced and kina numbers have grown.

The kelp forests are important as nursery areas for many fish.

Mr Gardiner said the fully protected marine reserve concept was favoured because it would adjoin the existing Mimiwhangata coastal farm park with its camping and native bush walks.

"By adding a Mimiwhangata marine reserve, it really starts to hum. "

Submissions on the marine reserve proposal close on October 12.

The department will also set up discussions and meetings with iwi, fishing clubs and community groups before submissions close.

Mr Gardiner said a decision on whether to proceed with a formal application to create a marine reserve would be made after submissions and community input was assessed later this year.

The assessments would consider whether anyone was likely to be "unduly" adversely affected by the creation of a Mimiwhangata reserve.