1. Marine Conservation in NZ: Mangrove Forests & Maui’s Dolphins Deborah Robertson 28 th July 2014

2. Contents New Zealand Marine environment Marine conservation Mangrove forests Maui’s dolphins

3. New Zealand / Aotearoa

10. New Zealand marine environment 5 th largest in the world 15,000 known species Estimates of 65,000 species 80% of our biodiversity is in sea, only 1% surveyed

16. Management and conservation New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement Resource Management Act 1991 – Policy statements and plans – objectives, policies, rules – Resource consents (EIAs, public consultation, hearings) Fisheries Act Reserves Acts for land and sea EEZ and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Act Marine Mammals Protection Act Lots of NGOs, community groups, public education, & EnviroSchools

17. Mangrove forests

18. Most southern mangrove growing country One species - Avicennia marina. In NZ for 19m yrs Extensive forests top half of North Island Have faced many challenges: roads formed causing silt build up, smothering pneumatophores; rubbish dumps; land reclamation; drainage; grazing

19. Mangrove forests

23. Spread since 1930s, definitely since 1970s Why? – Build up of sediments and rising of inter-tidal flats – Sediments flow to estuary from catchment, following native forest clearance and land development – Changes to water movements – Increased nutrients from farmland

25. Mangrove forests They are protected. They can’t be removed or interfered with. Wide range of views: positive and negative (loss of beach and open water is an issue) Communities and groups can apply for consent to manage local areas (e.g. removing, pruning, plucking seeds from ground

26. Maui’s dolphin The world’s smallest and rarest West coast of North Island Critically endangered In 2012, only 55 aged more than 1 yr Isolated from Hector’s dolphin

27. Maui’s dolphin Often found close to shore in pods Grey, white and black markings and well-rounded dorsal fin Females 1.7m long & 50kgs Population increase is sloooow Lifespan 20 yrs Feed on a variety of fish species Use echolocation

28. Threats Fishing – bycatch in set nets, drift nets & trawls Pollution from coast Boat strikes Construction - displacement Seabed mining / exploration – displacement, noise, spills, loss of fish and benthic food Tourism – dolphin watching

29. Conservation Marine Mammal Sanctuary and TMP Set net ban 0 – 2 nm Set net ban 2 – 7 nm unless observer onboard Monitoring of trawl fisheries Seismic surveying code of conduct Boat racing code of conduct But…

30. Maui’s dolphin We need to do more to save them – protection is very slow Supported by international organisations Government is opening up marine sanctuary for oil exploration Lots of public opposition