State of our Gulf 2017 Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana / Te Moana-nui-a-Toi State of the Environment Report 2017 State of our Gulf 2017 © 2018 Hauraki Gulf Forum First published December 2017 Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana / Te Moana-nui-a-Toi State of the Environment Report 2017 Published by: Hauraki Gulf Forum c/o Auckland Council Private Bag 42300 Auckland, 1142 The Hauraki Gulf Forum is a statutory body charged with the promotion and facilitation of integrated management and the protection and enhancement of the Hauraki Gulf. The Forum has representation on behalf of the Ministers for Conservation, Primary Industries and Māori Affairs, elected representatives from Auckland Council (including the Great Barrier and Waiheke local boards), Waikato Regional Council, and the Waikato, Hauraki, Thames Coromandel and Matamata Piako district councils, plus six representatives of the tangata whenua of the Hauraki Gulf and its islands. www.haurakigulfforum.org.nz Photographer Darryl Trockler www.darryltorckler.co.nz ISBN 978-1-98-852993-6 Disclaimer While Forum members and their consultants have exercised all reasonable skill and care in controlling the contents of information contained in this report, they accept no liability in contract, tort or otherwise howsoever, for any loss, damage, injury or expense (whether direct, indirect or consequential) arising out of the provision of this information or its use by you or others. Cover: Two common dolphins by Darryl Torckler 1. HE MIHI I te tīmatatanga ko te kore, ko te pō, ko te ao In the beginning there was only potential, tūroa, ka puta, ka ora ko te whai ao, ko te ao then came the natural world, and then, the mārama. world of light. Tīhei mauriora. Behold, the breath of life. Mā wai e tō mā te whakatau mā wai e tō, Who will recite the sacred chants to move tō tō i te waka i ngā hau apu tai tukituki the canoe forward in winds that dash the o Tīkapakapa o Te Moana-nui-a-Toi. waters of Tīkapa Moana. Ka takoto te ara moana o Tangaroa o The widespread waters of Tangaroa Hinemoana whakamautai ki te waha o Ikatere. and Hinemoana remain paramount. Whakamaua te titiro ki te aitanga a Tangaroa Gazing to the descendants of Tangaroa me te rearea! and its beauty! Ka titiro whakawaho atu ki ngā ika pipiha nui Awe-inspired, I look upon the wonders of the o te moana, ā, ka arahina tonutia e ngā māhina waters guided by the moon, the stars and the ngā tātai whetū me ngā manu karoro inutai. birds of the sea. Ko te iho o ēnei wai e tuku atu ana i tōna The heart of these waters run ia ki ngā puna wai tapu ki ngā kōngutuawa. to the sacred springs. Ahakoa tai timu, tai pari ko tēnei te rangi Low tides, high tides to this day we shall ka ū kia mau - hui tāiki e! protect and guard. Tēnā koutou katoa. Greetings to you all. Ko te katoa o ngā kupu i tuhia nei he kupu The opening statements are sentiments, and karakia, he kupu whakarite, he kupu whakanui thoughts that acknowledge our sacred waters. i ngā wai tapu o mua. Henceforth, it is vital for all to remain resolute Nā reira, me toka tū moana tātou katoa regarding the waters of Te Moana-nui-a-Toi. ki ngā wai o Tīkapakapa, tae noa ki If we do not all work together and act Te Moana-nui-a-Toi. as guardians for these waters, without Ki te kore tātou e mahi ngātahi, e noho hei a doubt the overall health of these stunning kaitiaki mō ēnei wai, kāore e kore ka matemate places will perish. haere ngā āhuatanga katoa o ēnei wāhi In conclusion, Tīkapa Moana and all its treasures ātaahua. are gifts left to us. Hei kōrero whakamutunga māku, ko ngā wāhi o Without these places, there are no fish stocks, Te Moana-nui-a-Toi, he taonga tuku iho. seabird life, or seafood. Mei kore ēnei wāhi, kua kore rawa atu nei he ika, By having a unified plan towards this forum we he manu, he kai mātaitai. strive for sustainability for future generations. Nā reira, mā te ū ngātahi ki tēnei kaupapa, ki ēnei taonga, he oranga kei tua mō ngā reanga e haere atu ana. Nā reira tēnā koutou katoa. Photo: Jack mackerel at Arid Island by Darryl Torckler TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. He mihi 6 5.4.3 Getting the best return on resource exploitation 108 2. Chair and deputy chair foreword 10 5.4.4 Defining the interrelationships between land and sea 109 3. Executive summary 26 5.4.5 Adapting to the future 110 3.1.1 Pressures 29 5.4.6 Case study: Research updates on shifting status – changes to the Hauraki Gulf marine ecosystem since the arrival of humans 112 3.1.2 Tāngata whenua 30 6. Environmental indicators 116 3.1.3 Management 30 6.1 Fisheries 118 3.2 Environmental update 31 6.1.1 Indicators of fisheries sustainability 121 3.3 Progress towards integrated management and addressing the Forum’s strategic priorities 35 6.1.2 Snapper 123 4. Background 36 6.1.3 Crayfish 128 4.1 The Hauraki Gulf Forum 40 6.1.4 Cockles 131 4.2 This report 41 6.1.5 Fishing activities that disturb seafloor communities 136 5. Situation analysis 42 6.1.6 Case study: changes to commercial fishing in the Hauraki Gulf over the 20th century 142 5.1 Current and changing pressures 44 6.2 Toxic chemicals 148 5.1.1 Population growth and urban development 46 6.3 Sediment and benthic health 155 5.1.2 Ocean sprawl 54 6.4 Mangroves 162 5.1.3 Rural land use 60 6.4.1 Changes in mangrove cover 164 5.1.4 Fishing 64 6.4.2 Other recent actions 164 5.1.5 Tourism and recreation 73 6.5 Nutrients 167 5.1.6 Invasive species 74 6.5.1 Coastal nutrients 172 5.1.7 Climate change 76 6.6 Microbiological contamination (pathogens) 176 5.2 Changes for mana whenua 77 6.6.1 Microbiological indicators 180 5.2.1 Progress of treaty settlements 80 6.7 Introduced (non-indigenous) marine species 183 5.2.2 Māori aquaculture and fisheries settlements 82 6.8 Harmful algae, pathogens and mass mortalities 188 5.2.3 The growing Māori economy 83 6.9 Marine litter 190 5.2.4 Case study – Māori tourism sector 84 6.9.1 Trends in marine litter 192 5.2.5 Changes in legislation, policies and plans 86 6.10 Maintenance and recovery of biodiversity 194 5.2.6 Understanding the cultural health of the Hauraki Gulf 87 6.10.1 Islands of the Gulf 194 5.2.7 Customary rights, practices and management 88 6.10.2 Bryde’s whales 206 5.2.8 Recognition of ‘protected customary rights’ and ‘customary title’ in the Hauraki Gulf 88 6.10.3 Sea and shore birds 210 5.3 Changing management 93 6.11 Coastal development 219 5.3.1 Resource management 93 7. Adequacy of the response 224 5.3.2 Fisheries management 98 8. Conclusions 230 5.3.3 Conservation management 101 9. Acknowledgements 231 5.3.4 Biosecurity 103 10. Glossary and abbreviations 232 5.3.5 Sea Change – Tai Timu, Tai Pari 105 11. References 234 5.4 Changing knowledge 105 5.4.1 Mapping and classifying the Hauraki Gulf ecosystems 105 5.4.2 Defining the ecological infrastructure of the Hauraki Gulf 106 RĀRANGI KŌRERO 1. He mihi 6 5.4.3 Te whiwhi ki ngā tino hua o te raweke rawa 108 2. Whakataki a te heamana me te heamana tuarua 10 5.4.4 Te whakarite i te whanaungatanga i waenga i te tuawhenua me te moana 109 3. Whakarāpopotanga matua 26 5.4.5 Te whakarite mō ngā rā e tū mai nei 110 3.1.1 Takinga kōrero hōu 29 5.4.6 He āta tirohanga: Ngā rangahau hōu mō ngā neke kētanga – ngā panoni ki te pūnaha hauropi ā-taimoana o Tīkapa Moana 3.1.2 Tāngata whenua 30 mai i te taenga mai o te tangata 112 3.1.3 Mahi whakahaere 30 6. Ngā tohu ā-taiao 116 3.2 Takinga kōrero ā-taiao hōu 31 6.1 Ngā taunga hī ika 118 3.3 Te anga whakamua ki te whiriwhiri i ngā mahi whakahaere 6.1.1 Ngā tohu tokonga roa o ngā taunga hī ika 121 me te tuku whakaaro ki ngā rautaki matua a te Paepae 35 6.1.2 Tāmure 123 4. Rauhanga 36 6.1.3 Kōura 128 4.1 Te Paepae o Tīkapa Moana 40 6.1.4 Tuangi 131 4.2 Tēnei pūrongo 41 6.1.5 Ngā mahi hī ika e ruke ana i ngā hapori papa moana 136 5. He tātaritanga 42 6.1.6 He āta tirohanga: Ngā panoni o ngā mahi hī ika tauhokohoko 5.1 Ngā pēhitanga ināianei me ōna tahuri kētanga 44 i Tīkapa Moana puta noa i te rautau rua ngahuru 142 5.1.1 Te tupu o te tatauranga ā-iwi me ngā whakawhanake o te noho ā-tāone 46 6.2 Pūmatū paihana 148 5.1.2 Te horanga moana 54 6.3 Para whenua me te hauora o te papa moana 155 5.1.3 Te mahi ā-tuawhenua 60 6.4 Ngā mānawa 162 5.1.4 Hī ika 64 6.4.1 Ngā panoni o te kahu mānawa 164 5.1.5 Mahi tāpoi me te hākinakina 73 6.4.2 Ētahi atu mahi o inākua ake nei 164 5.1.6 Nga momo orotā 74 6.5 Ngā taiora 167 5.1.7 Rerekētanga o te āhuarangi 76 6.5.1 Ngā taiora takutai moana 172 5.2 Ngā rerekētanga mō ngā mana whenua 77 6.6 He tā kinonga koiora moroiti (tukumate) 176 5.2.1 Ngā ahu mua o ngā whakatau ā-tiriti 80 6.6.1 He tohu ā-koiora moroiti 180 5.2.2 Ngā whakatau mahi ahumoana, taunga hī ika hoki 82 6.7 He momo koiora taimoana uru noa mai (nō whenua kē) 183 5.2.3 Te tupu o te ōhanga Māori 83 6.8 Pūkohu wai kaikino, tukumate, parekura nui hoki 188 5.2.4 He āta tirohanga – ki te pānga tāpoi Māori 84 6.9 Otaota taimoana 190 5.2.5 Ngā panonitanga ā-ture, ā-kaupapa here, ā-mahere hoki 86 6.9.1 Ngā ahunga whakaotaota i te taimoana 192 5.2.6 Ko te mārama ki te hauora o Tīkapa Moana 87 6.10 Te tiaki me te whakaora i te kanorau koiora 194 5.2.7 Ngā tika, tikanga ā-iwi tuku iho me ngā whakahaere 88 6.10.1 Ngā motu o Tīkapa Moana 194 5.2.8 He aronga ki te ‘āraitia o ngā tika ā-iwi’ me te ‘mana ā-here tuku iho’ i Tīkapa Moana 88 6.10.2 Pakakē 206 5.3 Te panoni mana whakahaere 93 6.10.3 Ngā manu ā-taimoana me ngā manu ā-uta 210 5.3.1 Whakahaere rauemi 93 6.11 Ngā whakawhanaketanga takutai moana 219 5.3.2 Whakahaere taunga hī ika 98 7.