The area covered by the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary includes the longest chain of submerged volcanoes in the world, and the second deepest ocean trench.
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EDS is delighted with the announcement of the new Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary today.
The Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will cover 620,000 square kilometres, 50 times bigger than New Zealand’s current biggest national park in Fiordland, encompassing some of the world’s most geologically diverse landscapes.
“We also need more flexibility in the types of marine protected areas that can be created, and a robust, independent process to consider prospective areas”.
Nowhere else in New Zealand’s exclusive economic zone could such a range of tropical, sub-tropical and temperate species of fish, birds and marine mammals be found.
“EDS is hopeful that the decision on the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary will herald a new era in oceans management in New Zealand”, concluded Ms Peart.
“Firstly we have our Navy that spend substantive time not just policing our own fishery zone, but also those of our Pacific neighbours”, he says.
The Government is aiming to pass legislation enabling the creation of the sanctuary next year.
The Cabinet paper said the exclusion of the area from mining and prospecting would reduce a prospecting permit applied for by Nautilus Minerals NZ by about 44 percent, though because the application was still under review, officials could work with the company to revise the prospect area.
“I acknowledge the advocacy for the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary from organisations like the Pew Charitable Trust, WWF New Zealand, the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society, Ngati Kuri, and Greenpeace, as well as thousands of individual New Zealanders”.
Dr Smith said New Zealand had committed to having 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas conserved by 2020, and already had 9.7 per cent of its territorial sea (within 12 nautical miles) protected.
In making the announcement, New Zealand is expanding a smaller reserve established in 1990, as a release noted.
“This new sanctuary is part of the National-led Government’s “Bluegreen” approach of balancing environmental protection with economic development”.
Other marine protected areas recently announced include the Australian Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve and the Pitcairn Islands Marine Reserve announced by the United Kingdom.
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Nick Smith, New Zealand’s environment minister, said the sanctuary might impose a cost upon the mining industry but it was important to protect the ocean before exploration took place.
