Restoring the health and mauri of the Hauraki Gulf

Revitalising the Gulf is the Government's strategy in response to the call for action made by the 2017 Sea change – tai timu tai pari Hauraki Gulf marine spatial plan (the sea change plan).

Building on the work already underway, Fisheries New Zealand (part of the Ministry for Primary Industries) and the Department of Conservation will implement the strategy's actions. The strategy's proposals reflect the Government's analysis of the 2017 sea change plan recommendations, relating to marine conservation and fisheries management. They have incorporated feedback from mana whenua, implementation partners, and key stakeholders.

Throughout the strategy's development, an independent Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) provided feedback and advice.

Revitalising the Gulf: Government action on the Sea Change Plan [PDF, 4.7 MB]

At a glance: Summary of revitalising the gulf [PDF, 2.1 MB]

Our plan for action

Revitalising the gulf sets out the actions Government will take to restore the health and mauri of the Hauraki Gulf (the gulf), guided by 2 overarching outcomes:

• effective kaitiakitanga and guardianship in the gulf
• healthy functioning ecosystems that:
  • underpin the wellbeing and prosperity of people who live, work, and play in the gulf
  • sustain healthy fisheries that replenish and enhance the pātaka kai (food basket) for customary, recreational, and commercial uses
  • regulate, support, and sustain the gulf
  • support resilient and diverse habitats and marine life.

The strategy drives change with multiple integrated actions. Government is committed to delivering:

• increased marine protection to allow the recovery of some of the most biodiverse regions in the Gulf
• New Zealand's first area-based fisheries plan tailored to the unique needs of the Hauraki Gulf
• wider seabed habitat protection by restricting trawling and other fishing methods
• increased shellfish abundance through harvesting restrictions and catch limits
• an expanded programme of protected species management
• a habitat restoration guide to better direct habitat restoration resources and initiatives
• increased participation of mana whenua and stakeholders in local fisheries management decisions
• government supported mana whenua and local community projects to achieve local aspirations for near-shore environments (ahu moana)
• a prosperous, sustainable aquaculture industry and aligned biosecurity programmes.

The strategy's actions will be supported by a research, monitoring, and reporting programme, to track implementation and effectiveness of actions, and drive a flexible adaptive management approach to deliver the best results for the gulf.

These actions will complement the Government's non-marine work programme such as the Essential Freshwater and Productive and Sustainable Land Use packages, as well as the work of others, to restore the health and mauri of the gulf.

Essential freshwater

Productive and Sustainable Land Use

We're excited to work with implementation partners and the many people that care for the gulf to begin improving its health for current and future generations.

Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari Ministerial Advisory Committee

Throughout the strategy's development, an independent Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari Ministerial Advisory Committee provided feedback and advice to ministers, Fisheries New Zealand, and the Department of Conservation (DOC). 

Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari Ministerial Advisory Committee Terms of Reference – DOC [PDF, 484KB]

The advice of the committee cumulated in their September 2020 report to the former Ministers of Conservation and Fisheries (then Hon Eugenie Sage and Hon Stuart Nash). This report stated that the government has broadly arrived at a durable response. 

Report from the Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari Ministerial Advisory Committee – DOC [PDF, 504KB]

Fisheries New Zealand and DOC have addressed some of the report's recommendations in the finalised strategy, and will consider them further during implementation of Revitalising the Gulf's actions.

A plan made through collaboration

The sea change plan was published in April 2017. It contains a set of proposals for improving the health and mauri of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

The non-statutory plan was developed over 3 years by a 14-member stakeholder working group. The group represented mana whenua, environmental groups, and the fishing, aquaculture, and agriculture sectors.

The sea change plan makes over 180 proposals for the gulf and its catchments across land, freshwater and marine domains.

Find out more about the sea change plan and how it was put together – Sea Change

Find out more

Technical analysis of the sea change plan's protected species proposals – Department of Conservation  [PDF, 1.1MB]

Sea change proposals – marine protection [PDF, 7.5MB]

Who to contact

• Fisheries New Zealand, email seachange@mpi.govt.nz
• Department of Conservation, email seachange@doc.govt.nz