Agenda of Hauraki Gulf Forum - 14 September 2015

I hereby give notice that an ordinary meeting of the Hauraki Gulf Forum will be held on:

Date:

Time:

Meeting Room:

Venue:

Monday, 14 September 2015

1.00pm

Reception Lounge
Auckland Town Hall
301-305 Queen Street
Auckland

Hauraki Gulf Forum

OPEN AGENDA

MEMBERSHIP

Chairperson	Mayor John Tregidga	Hauraki District Council
Deputy Chairperson	Ms Liane Ngamane	Tangata Whenua
Deputy Mayor Peter French	Thames-Coromandel District Council	Cr Wayne Walker	Auckland Council
Cr Rob McGuire	Waikato District Council	Ms Meg Poutasi	Department of Conservation
Cr James Thomas	Matamata-Piako District Council	Ms Moana Tamaariki-Pohe	Tangata Whenua
Cr Peter Buckley	Waikato Regional Council	Mr Terrence Hohneck	Tangata Whenua
Mr Jeff Cleave	Great Barrier Local Board (Auckland Council)	Mr Steve Halley	Ministry for Primary Industries
Mr John Meeuwsen	Waiheke Local Board (Auckland Council)	Mr Paul Majurey	Tangata Whenua
Cr Christine Fletcher	Auckland Council	Ms Nicola MacDonald	Tangata Whenua
Cr Michael Lee	Auckland Council	Mr Leo Koziol	Te Puni Kōkiri
Cr Bill Cashmore	Auckland Council	Ms Lucy Steel	Tangata Whenua
Cr Chris Darby	Auckland Council

Auckland Council is the administering authority for the Hauraki Gulf Forum.

(Quorum 11 members)

Louis Dalzell

Democracy Advisor

4 September 2015

Contact Telephone: (09) 890 8135

Email: louis.dalzell@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Website: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

1 Apologies

At the close of the agenda no apologies had been received.

2 Declaration of Interest

Members are reminded of the need to be vigilant to stand aside from decision making when a conflict arises between their role as a member and any private or other external interest they might have.

At the close of the agenda no requests for declarations of interest had been received.

3 Confirmation of Minutes

That the Hauraki Gulf Forum:

a) confirm the ordinary minutes of its meeting, held on Monday, 15 June 2015, as a true and correct record.

4 Public Forum

At the close of the agenda no requests for public input had been received.

5 Extraordinary Business

Section 46A(7) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (as amended) states:

“An item that is not on the agenda for a meeting may be dealt with at that meeting if-

(a) The local authority by resolution so decides; and

(b) The presiding member explains at the meeting, at a time when it is open to the public,-

(i) The reason why the item is not on the agenda; and

(ii) The reason why the discussion of the item cannot be delayed until a subsequent meeting.”

Section 46A(7A) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (as amended) states:

“Where an item is not on the agenda for a meeting,-

(a) That item may be discussed at that meeting if-

(i) That item is a minor matter relating to the general business of the local authority; and

(ii) the presiding member explains at the beginning of the meeting, at a time when it is open to the public, that the item will be discussed at the meeting; but

(b) no resolution, decision or recommendation may be made in respect of that item except to refer that item to a subsequent meeting of the local authority for further discussion.”

6 Notices of Motion

At the close of the agenda no requests for notices of motion had been received.

Hauraki Gulf Forum

14 September 2015

Spat catching in the Firth of Thames update

File No.: CP2015/18463

Purpose

1. To update the Hauraki Gulf Forum (the Forum) on the status of spat catching applications in the Firth of Thames.

Executive Summary

2. In June 2015 the Forum raised concern about the ad hoc receipt and processing of spat catching applications in the Firth of Thames. It requested that applications be put on hold until the completion of the proposed marine spatial plan.

3. Officers were requested to inform hearing commissioners of the Forum’s recommendations.

4. The appended memo responds to the Forum’s request for a report back on this matter.

Recommendation/s

That the Hauraki Gulf Forum:

a) receive the Spat catching in the Firth of Thames update report.

Comments

5. In March 2015 the Hauraki Gulf Forum received a report on the status of spat catching applications in the Western Firth of Thames.

6. Further clarification about the applications before council was sought and in June the Forum received a presentation and memo on the status of marine farming and mussel spat catching applications currently before Auckland Council in the Western Firth of Thames.

7. The memo advised that:

“Auckland Council has received a number of applications for marine farming and mussel spat catching within the Firth of Thames area. A number of these applications relate to authorising existing unauthorised space – space that is currently being farmed but is not authorised by a resource consent. Two of these applications (Westpac Mussel Distributors Limited) have been approved and the remainder are before a council hearing.

Applications have been made for new space for mussel spat catching in 6 new areas. The applications for Ambush Marine Farms (2) and Dean Aislabie (1) are before the Auckland Council hearings committee. The three applications by Westpac Mussel Distributors are still being processed awaiting notification decisions.

The report also updates the Forum on two applications in the Waiheke Island area.”

8. The June meeting also included a presentation from Te Whānau Ā Haunui on its development aspirations at Waimongo Point.

9. After receiving the presentations the Forum passed the following resolution:

Resolution number HGF/2015/11

MOVED by Chair J Tregidga, seconded by Mr T Hohneck:

That the Hauraki Gulf Forum:

a) receive the Spat Catching in the Firth of Thames report.

b) support Te Whānau Ā Haunui and advise Auckland Council of the forum’s concern that new spat catching applications continue to be made in an ad hoc way ahead of the completion of a marine spatial plan.

c) recommend to councils that all spat catching applications be put on hold until the completion of a marine spatial plan and that councils report back to the forum at the next meeting.

10. In communications after the meeting the Forum’s Democracy Advisor made Auckland Council and Waikato Regional Council officers aware of the Forum’s concerns, the recommendation in b) and c), and advised that the independent commissioners be made aware of the Forum’s concerns.

11. The appended memo updates the Forum on the process steps taken since the last meeting in relation to the applications and the Forum’s resolutions.

12. The memo essentially indicates that Auckland Council has limited opportunity to place existing applications on hold and could only do so with the applicant’s approval.

13. Alan Moore (Team Leader Coastal Consents and Compliance) and Mark Leggett (Manager Practice and Training Team Projects, Practice and Resolutions, Resource Consents) at Auckland Council will be available to clarify any matters arising from this report.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Memo: Firth of Thames Spat Catching and Aquaculture applications update	9

Signatories

Author	Tim Higham - Executive Officer, Hauraki Gulf Forum
Authoriser	Jacques Victor – General Manager Auckland Plan Strategy and Research

Hauraki Gulf Forum

14 September 2015

Promotion of the management objectives of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act

File No.: CP2015/18439

Purpose

1. To increase understanding and awareness of the management objectives of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act, members’ responsibilities to promote them and to propose projects that enable this.

Executive Summary

2. The recent external review contained a number of recommendations designed to improve the capacity of the Forum to act as political peer group, providing leadership to promote the management objectives of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act (HGMPA).

3. Several potential projects have been identified that would assist the Forum to exercise this role.

Recommendation/s

That the Hauraki Gulf Forum:

a) support further scoping and development of projects to assist awareness building and promotion of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act’s management objectives.

Comments

4. The HGMPA defines a range of functions that enable the Forum to act collectively to promote the management objectives contained within the HGMPA.

5. These management objectives, while having statutory weight, are not written in a legally prescriptive way.

6. The guidance documents prepared by the Forum from 2009-2011 showed that the objectives required interpretation and their approach and priorities needed to infiltrate the policy and plan making frameworks of regulatory agencies (See Chapter 3, Governing the Gulf – attachment B).

7. Reports can be downloaded at: http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/environmentwaste/coastalmarine/Pages/stateofthehaurakigulf.aspx

8. Barrister Kitt Littlejohn is an environmental lawyer and member of the national committee of the Resource Management Law Association. He recently arranged a seminar on the HGMPA for the Auckland branch.

9. He has taken an interest in coastal management and the provisions of the HGMPA through consent applications related to marina, ports and aquaculture development, and has professional association with Ngai Tai ki Tamaki.

10. He has been invited to respond to findings and recommendations in the recent review.

11. The review specifically recommended the creation of a register of approved Resource Management Act Hearing Commissioners selected by the Forum based on their understanding of the HGMPA.

12. Mr Littlejohn will discuss the HGMPA’s management objectives, interpretation in recent case law, the Forum’s responsibilities to promote their application, and several potential projects that would build capacity within Resource Management Act decision making processes to enable this.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Awareness Building and Promotion of HGMPA Objectives - Possible Projects to Respond to hte Envirostrat Review	13
b View	Chapter 3 - The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act, Governing the Gulf, Hauraki Gulf Forum, 2010	17

Signatories

Author	Tim Higham - Executive Officer, Hauraki Gulf Forum
Authoriser	Jacques Victor – General Manager Auckland Plan Strategy and Research

Hauraki Gulf Forum

14 September 2015

Hauraki Gulf Forum Executive Officer's Report

File No.: CP2015/18447

Purpose

1. To provide a quarterly update from the Hauraki Gulf Forum’s Executive Officer.

Executive Summary

2. This report is prepared by Hauraki Gulf Forum Executive Officer to update Forum members on the delivery of the annual work plan, follow up actions from previous meetings, delivery of statutory requirements, and other matters of relevance since the last meeting.

Recommendation/s

That the Hauraki Gulf Forum:

a) confirm a three person group to consider recommendations for the 2015 Holdaway Award.

Comments

Follow up item on spat catching in the Firth of Thames

3. Follow up to this is contained within agenda item 7.

Follow up on recommendations from Forum review

4. The response to recommendation 4 concerning governance has been addressed in communications from the Hauraki Gulf Forum Chair to members, circulated on 24 August 2015 and is appended as (attachment A). I anticipate that the working group’s report will be available for discussion at the Forum’s December 2015 meeting.

5. A response to recommendations relating to understanding and promotion of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act’s management objectives are contained within agenda item 8.

Follow up item on Firth of Thames water quality and ecosystem health report

6. I append follow up communications with NIWA (attachment B) and a letter of support for a related funding application (attachment C).

7. Waikato Regional Council officers have advised that the council is negotiating a contract with NIWA and Dairy NZ to do further analysis of the data to identify trends and to undertake modelling. It has also significantly increased funding for coastal monitoring in their latest Long Term Plan and has been facilitating workshops to prepare for implementation.

8. Dr Malcolm Green has been included in the programme for the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park seminar to raise public awareness of this important emerging issue.

Treaty Settlement process update

9. Communication from the Department of Conservation on the transfer of ownership of motu in the Hauraki Gulf/ Tīkapa Moana, as part of the Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Settlement Act, is appended for your information (attachment D).

Annual Report

10. The 2014-15 Hauraki Gulf Forum Annual Report has been prepared and a hard copy is provided with the agenda. It is web posted here: http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/en/aboutcouncil/representativesbodies/haurakigulfforum/pages/home.aspx#publications

11. An accompanying letter to the Minister of Conservation is appended (attachment E). The report will be tabled in the House of Representatives by the Minister.

12. Additional copies of the report are available. It will be circulated to stakeholders with the September issue of Weaving the Strands.

2015 Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Seminar

13. The 2015 Hauraki Gulf Marine Park seminar will be held on 27 October and the programme of speakers has been confirmed. See attachment F.

14. Please advise if you would like to attend. Reserved seats are limited and the seminar usually sells out several days in advance.

15. Public bookings can be made through - http://www.aucklandmuseum.com/whats-on/series/on-the-horizon-hauraki-gulf-marine-park-seminar

Holdaway Award

16. A memo calling for nominations for the 2015 Holdaway Award has been distributed among Forum agencies and networks. See appended memo (attachment G).

17. A shortlist of candidates will be drawn up by a sub-committee of the Technical Officers Group and, as per previous years, recommendations will be made to a three-person group of Forum members. Clarification of the makeup of that group is sought.

Bryde’s whale ship strike working group

18. An eighth meeting of the collaborative working group will be hosted on 22 September 2015. Its focus will be identifying actual costs and constraints to meeting the internationally recognized target speed of 10 knots. The group is aware the Forum’s resolution to notify the voluntary protocol to the International Maritime Organisation to further increase compliance. Average speed has reduced from 14.2 to 12.3 knots since introduction of the protocol in September 2013, but appears to have leveled off.

19. Inclusion of the protocol in charts and manuals is considered important as it influences route scheduling by shipping lines and establishes the ‘safe speed’ as standard operating practice.

Black Petrel Working Group

20. A meeting of the Black Petrel Working Group was hosted on 27 August 2015 to track progress against an action plan to avoid seabird capture in commercial fisheries, and to plan a ‘welcome back’ communications campaign in October when the birds arrive in the Gulf from their South American feeding grounds.

21. The ‘Bugger’ story in the last Weaving the Strands and the Forum’s acknowledgement of progress in the Annual Report was well received by the group.

Technical Officers Group

22. A meeting of the Technical Officers Group was facilitated on 31 July to plan the agenda for this meeting and review work planning and delivery.

Speaking engagements

23. I have spoken recently at the Forest and Bird Annual Conference in Wellington and at a seminar organized by the Auckland Branch of the Resource Management Law Association. The talks compare and contrast awareness and responses to issues identified in the 2011 and 2014 State of our Gulf assessments.

24. I have been invited to host a conversation with Vanishing Nature author Marine Brown of EDS at the Waiheke Writers Festival in November.

Conference involvement

25. I attended a review meeting for the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge held in Wellington in June.

26. I communicated that the State of our Gulf assessments and Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari process helped bring definition and focus to research challenges around the Gulf. Visioning exercises and public feedback make it clear that the protection and enhancement requirements of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act are well understood and supported. I advocated that research enabled through the challenge should build on this investment, with a focus on knowledge and technologies for ecosystem enhancement.

27. The Chairman and I attended the Environment Defence Society (EDS) conference earlier this month which focused on biodiversity loss, attracting a wide range of political leaders and large number of participants. Presentations will be available here: http://www.edsconference.com/. A follow up meeting with Minister of Conservation Maggie Barry is being scheduled.

Weaving the Strands

28. The newsletter is in preparation and should be available at the meeting.

DOC-Fonterra Living Waters project

29. I have received a high level summary describing the focus and key activities the Living Water project will concentrate on over the next three years (2015/18) in the Pukorokoro/Miranda area. Please see attachment H.

Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari project update

30. Meetings of the Project Steering Group and Stakeholder Working Group over recent weeks are helping to determine a plan and timetable to enable completion of the marine spatial plan. Paul Beverley, who was chairing the Independent Review Panel for the project, is assisting with advice. The latest project updates are available here: http://www.seachange.org.nz/News-Events/mediareleases/Good-things-take-time-Timeframe-extension/

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

31. Delivery of the work plan and identification of issues is informed by a local board officer on the Technical Officers Group.

Māori impact statement

32. Delivery of the work plan and identification of issues is informed by the tangata whenua technical officers as per the governance arrangements of the Forum.

Implementation

33. Receipt of the report aids accountability for the delivery of the annual work plan and other duties between the Forum and the Executive Officer.

34. Progress in these areas will be discussed with the Technical Officers Group and reported back to future Forum meetings.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Email: "Follow up to Forum Review" Forum Chair	35
b View	Email: "Thanks for Presentation" NIWA	37
c View	Letter of support: Ocean Acidification Research	39
d View	Memo: Transfer of ownership of motu	41
e View	Letter to Minister of Conservation re Annual Report	43
f View	Programme 2015 Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Seminar	45
g View	Memo: Call for nominations for Holdaway Award	47
h View	Factsheet: Living Waters Project	49

Signatories

Author	Tim Higham - Executive Officer, Hauraki Gulf Forum
Authoriser	Jacques Victor – General Manager Auckland Plan Strategy and Research

Hauraki Gulf Forum

14 September 2015

Waiheke Marine Protected Areas Survey Results

File No.: CP2015/18428

Purpose

1. To make the Hauraki Gulf Forum aware of Colmar Brunton’s Marine Protection Survey commissioned by the Waiheke Local Board.

Executive Summary

2. In May 2015 Colmar Brunton conducted a survey regarding the establishment of a network of marine protected areas around islands in the Waiheke area.

3. 1,999 completed questionnaires were received. The results of the survey have been analysed and the Colmar Brunton report has been made publicly available.

4. The results show support for the establishment of a network of marine protected areas across a substantial proportion of the marine environment between the islands in the local board area. See map appended (attachment A).

5. Responses regarding location were relatively spread out with no one specific area receiving high or low levels of support as a marine reserve.

6. The local board considers the results provide a mandate to continue with its advocacy for marine protection. It will consider with agencies and the wider community the results and possible ways forward to implement the findings.

Recommendation/s

That the Hauraki Gulf Forum:

a) congratulate the Waiheke Local Board on the initiation of the survey.

b) note consistency with the Forum’s strategic response framework - which identifies a network of regenerating marine areas as one of five elements anticipated within a successful management response.

c) commend the survey for consideration by the Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari marine spatial plan process, to assist determination of marine protected areas within the Gulf.

Comments

Background

7. The Waiheke Local Board Plan identified strong support for improving the protection and restoration of the marine environment. The local board cannot legally establish marine protected areas and marine reserves, but sees itself having a strong awareness-raising and advocacy role on behalf of its communities.

8. In March 2015, the local board agreed to undertake a survey of local community opinions on the establishment of a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) linking the islands in the Waiheke area, and establishing new marine reserves as part of that network.

9. Colmar Brunton was commissioned to design and carry out the survey in a manner which would be as inclusive and as representative as possible, within the budget available. The survey was carried out in May 2015 and involved a mail-out of a postal questionnaire and background information to 6,333 individuals who had registered to vote in Waiheke Local Board elections and to 2,370 owners of residential properties with addresses outside the local board area.

10. Replies were provided either by pre-paid envelope or online, using a unique identifier code in all cases to avoid multiple responses. An analysis and comparison of the electoral roll and ratepayer databases was also carried out to minimise the possibility of duplicated responses.

11. In parallel with the postal survey, anyone else with an interest in this issue had the opportunity to complete a questionnaire on the Shape Auckland website. 249 responses were received in this process. However this method did not enable tracking of multiple responses back to their source or to assess whether the replies were representative of the population as a whole, so the Shape Auckland results are being considered separately from the main survey findings. The survey results were made available on 7 July 2015 on the Shape Auckland website.

Response to the Survey

12. The full report is available here: http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/representativesbodies/LocalBoards/Waihekelocalboard/Documents/waihekemarinereservesreport2015.pdf

13. In summary, the Colmar Brunton survey received a total of 1,999 valid replies – 1,402 from registered voters and 597 from residential ratepayers with off-island addresses. This is considered a good response rate for this type of survey and reflects the level of local interest and engagement in this topic.

14. In general terms, the results demonstrate support for development of a network of marine protected areas, including marine reserves, across a substantial proportion of the marine environment between the islands in the local board area. The results also help to provide clarity on the principles to be applied in the selection of appropriate areas, and the interests to be taken into account when identifying areas for protection.

15. Responses regarding location were relatively spread out with no one specific area receiving high or low levels of support as a marine reserve. However the results provide pointers to which areas may be more acceptable as marine reserves and which may be more contentious.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

16. This project supports aspirations identified in the Waiheke Local Board Plan and is intended to help the board to develop its views and advocacy position.

Māori impact statement

17. The Waiheke Local Board Plan describes some of the ways in which the board would like to work in partnership with mana whenua and this project provides the opportunity to give expression to these aspirations and promote kaitiakitanga.

18. Recognition of the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and relevant legislation relating to Māori interests in the marine environment will need to be a key component of any marine protection network which is established.

19. Discussion will take place with mana whenua and other iwi groups represented on the islands in the local board area at an early stage to consider and agree how best to work together in this process.

Implementation

20. The local board considers the results provide a clear mandate to continue with advocacy for marine protection and valuable information to assist it to represent local views on marine protection issues and the development of a network of protected areas.

21. Presentation of the results to the Forum is part of a process to consider next steps.

22. The board will initiate discussions over the next few months with mana whenua and the relevant local and central government agencies responsible for marine protection, including representatives from the Sea Change –Tai Timu Tai Pari marine spatial plan process, and with key community stakeholders, including Friends of the Hauraki Gulf, Keep Our Beaches, and Forest and Bird.

23. From these discussions it anticipates a report setting out a recommended process for establishing a network of marine protected areas and the resources required to support it.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Map Waiheke Local Board Area	57
b View	Colmar Brunton Report Summary of Results	59

Signatories

Author	Tim Higham - Executive Officer, Hauraki Gulf Forum
Authoriser	Jacques Victor – General Manager Auckland Plan Strategy and Research

Hauraki Gulf Forum

14 September 2015

Constituent party report

File No.: CP2015/18618

Purpose

1. To describe recent activities undertaken by Forum constituent parties which address the strategic issues of the Forum. This report is a regular means of meeting the Forum’s purpose of facilitating communication, co-operation and co-ordination among its members.

Executive Summary

2. This report describes recent activities undertaken by Forum constituent parties which address integrated management and prioritised, strategic issues. This report is a regular means of meeting the Forum’s purpose of facilitating communication, co-operation and co-ordination among its members.

3. The strategic issues framework adopted by the Forum for focus and action identified the following management response areas:

· Regenerating green and blue areas

· Enhanced fisheries

· Mana whenua integration

· Active land management to address nutrient, sediment and contaminant pollution

· Knowledge generation within an integrated eco-system management approach

4. The left-hand column of the following table links each reported activity to the response framework.

Recommendation/s

That the Hauraki Gulf Forum:

a) receive the Constituent party report.

Comments

Waikato Regional Council
Hauraki Gulf Forum Strategic Issue	Policy and Plan Development, Regulation and Compliance
	Tairua Marina
	WRC recently publicly notified a section 127 application to delete a condition to bond sand from Paku Bay to the outside of the marina sheet pile walls. The submission period closes on 28 August 2015. The application is likely to proceed to a hearing mid-November 2015. The application will be heard together with another publicly notified section 127 application which seeks authorisation to occupy the CMA with a stormwater outfall structure. There are a number of visual mitigation compliance issues that need to be resolved and WRC is presently seeking legal advice on how best to proceed with these matters. The land based development of the marina villas and apartments has commenced.
	Flood mitigation works in Graham’s Stream, Tairua
A Active land management	WRC has lodged an application for extensive earthworks including re-diversion of a section of Graham’s Stream. The project will include construction of stop bank, excavation through coastal wetland that has high ecological value as well as extensive mitigation restoration. The design concept was developed in consultation with the community to alleviate flooding of properties adjacent to the stream. The design team included ecologists so as to look at opportunities within the design for enhancement including the development of the floodway as salt marsh habitat. The decision has been made not to notify the application, with resource consents now pending.
	Harbour and Catchment Planning
Active land management	The Whangapoua Harbour and Catchment Management Plan has now been completed and approved. The plan covers an area of 16,700 ha from Opito peninsula through to Wainuiototo (New Chums Beach) and includes Whangapoua Harbour. The plan collates existing information held for the area; it identifies key issues and actions aimed at improving the health of the harbour and catchment. Plan preparation has been a collaborative effort including local community, iwi, industry key stakeholders and agencies. The Plan will be available on the WRC website in September. WRC Coromandel Zone staff are presenting a paper at the Coasts and Ports conference in September on harbour and catchment management in the Coromandel.
	Mussel farm bonds
	Consent holders of historic mussel farms (authorised pre-RMA) have been requested to provide a bond by the end of July 2015. The collection of bonds has nearly been completed.
	Whangamata Marina
	A full site audit report determined that the Whangamata Marina Society achieved a high level of compliance with the audited conditions of their resource consents. Dredging of an area near the marina entrance with barge and digger and associated beach nourishment will commence on 15 August 2015.
	Firth of Thames organic enrichment mapping
Knowledge management	A project is currently underway to map the seafloor of the Firth of Thames and southern Hauraki Gulf in order to assess the organic enrichment of the seafloor. It will also assess the benthic effects of existing marine farms and the effects of organic loading from the two largest rivers, the Waihou and Piako Rivers, draining in to the Firth of Thames. This is a collaborative project with the Wilson Bay Marine Farming Zone A and B consortia. The report will be completed by the end of 2015.

Auckland Council
	National Environmental Standard for Plantation Forestry
Active land management	On 17 June 2015, the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) began consultation on the proposed National Environmental Standard for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF). The submission period ended on 11 August 2015. The NES-PF seeks to change how plantation forestry activities are managed under the RMA and if implemented, would replace existing district and regional plan rules nationwide for managing plantation forestry, including those in the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan. Whilst not in opposition to the general intent of the NES-PF, Auckland Council’s submission highlights, amongst other concerns, that the NES-PF will lessen the environmental standards that have been set in Auckland for the past decade. Auckland’s current rules and guidelines for managing plantation forestry activities have come a long way in reducing the volume of fine sediments entering streams, rivers and the Hauraki Gulf. Fine sediment loss from the predominant clay-rich soils is arguably far more detrimental for Auckland than most other parts of New Zealand, due to the low energy estuarine systems most forested catchments discharge into. MPI will now collate submissions and report back to Ministers for Cabinet approval. If the NES-PF is progressed, it is intended to come into force late next year. For further information, go to http://www.mpi.govt.nz.
	Significant Ecological Areas - Marine (SEA_M) update
Regenerating green and blue areas	During the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan (PAUP) hearings on Significant Ecological Areas Marine, the Auckland Council acknowledged that the current identification of SEA_Ms in new policy in the PAUP was comprehensive in terms of areas adjacent to land. However, council further accepted that the SEA_Ms are incomplete in terms of identification and management of sub-tidal/deep water areas and in identifying and managing wide ranging values such as the Hauraki Gulf. Work on addressing these deficiencies is beginning this financial year, initially focussing on existing information and gaps. This project will also outline further survey work needed. Outputs of the Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari process will also be relevant and will be incorporated where appropriate. Outcomes of this work will be brought into the Unitary Plan via a plan change process once the PAUP is operative.

	Auckland Growing Greener
	Auckland Growing Greener – a strategy to help Auckland Council accelerate and deliver on the environmental vision within the Auckland Plan - will be launched in October. The plan “ strongly commits to environmental action and green growth“ and the strategy describes projects that contribute to a healthier and more resilient natural environment and the greening of Auckland’s economy. The strategy will be launched alongside a new Auckland Region State of the Environment Report.
Ministry for Primary Industries
Hauraki Gulf Forum Strategic Issue		Operational review of the Fisheries Management System
Enhanced fisheries		The Ministry for Primary Industries is in the process of initiating a review of New Zealand’s fisheries management system to ensure it continues to deliver for all users. The review will provide the opportunity to think more broadly about our key processes, regulatory and legislative settings. The public will have the opportunity to provide their views in October this year with a formal consultation process currently planned for mid-2016.
		2015 May Plenary Report
		The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has released its annual May Plenary Report that summarises and updates available science information relevant for fisheries management. The May 2015 Plenary summarises fishery, biological, stock assessment and stock status information for 83 of New Zealand’s commercial fish species or species groups. Over time, continual improvements have been made in data acquisition, stock assessment techniques, the development of reference points to guide fisheries management decisions, the provision of increasingly comprehensive and meaningful information from a range of sources, and peer review processes. The purpose of the Report is to provide objective, independent assessments of the current status of fish stocks. The science information is used to help prioritise and inform management actions and reviews. The three volumes of the 2015 May Plenary Report are publicly available here: 2015 May Plenary - Volume 1 - Introductory Sections to Hoki www.mpi.govt.nz/document-vault/8307 2015 May Plenary - Volume 2 - Horse Mussel to Red Crab www.mpi.govt.nz/document-vault/8310 2015 May Plenary - Volume 3 - Red Gurnard to Yellow-eyed Mullet www.mpi.govt.nz/document-vault/8304

	Snapper 1
	The Ministry for Primary Industries has recently released data from the first twelve months of commercial reporting of undersize snapper catch. http://www.mpi.govt.nz/news-and-resources/media-releases/new-information-on-important-fishery/ Understanding the impacts of all sectors catching and releasing undersize snapper is one of the topics currently being considered by the SNA1 Strategy Group. The Group is scheduled to complete a report later this year. In the meantime, the monitoring programme put in place following the 2013 review continues. From 1 October 2015 100% of the SNA1 trawl fleet will be monitored by cameras or observers.
	Seabirds
	Work to implement the 2013 NPOA-Seabirds is ongoing and includes a number of initiatives which are currently in progress. These include providing support for a DOC funded trial of electronic monitoring to detect seabird captures in bottom long line fisheries, the continuation and expansion of the seabird liaison officer project and the further roll out and refinement of vessel specific seabird management plans (SMP) for long line vessels operating in fisheries management area one (FMA1). MPI also continues its involvement in both the national Seabird Advisory Group as well as the FMA1 Black Petrel Working Group. Both these groups play an important role in ensuring the ongoing delivery of progress against the objectives of the NPOA, including those relevant to the Hauraki Gulf. MPI is responsible for delivering on a number of the actions and initiatives that come from these forums. Of particular note, MPI is working with Southern Seabird Solutions Trust (SSST) to collect better information on interactions between recreational fishers and seabirds. Seabird-related questions have been collaboratively developed for inclusion in ongoing MPI recreational fishing surveys and will be implemented over the coming summer. MPI will also be providing support to the SSST recreational fishing education campaign through information in various media outlets (e.g. NZ Fishing News), distribution of educational material and general public engagement. With SMPs now in place all FMA1 snapper and bluenose bottom long line vessels, this summer’s commercial fishing focus will be on further engagement with relevant surface long line fisheries as well as continued improvement of seabird mitigation measures and fishing practices across the board. There will also be increased attention around monitoring and reporting vessel adherence to SMPs.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

5. No consultation with local boards was required for the preparation of this report. Individual items that make up the report will be reported directly to the relevant local boards as appropriate.

Māori impact statement

6. This is a report for information only. Individual items that make up the report may impact on mana whenua, who would then be consulted as the work programmes are developed.

General

7. This report collates the activities of the Forum’s constituent parties to facilitate communication, co-operation and co-ordination.

Implementation

8. There are no implementation implications arising from the activities detailed in this report.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Author	Tim Higham, Executive Officer Hauraki Gulf
Authoriser	Jacques Victor – General Manager Auckland Plan Strategy and Research