GVT: Chris Carter: New marine reserve off Waiheke Island
anno...@ministers.govt.nz
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New marine reserve off Waiheke Island
Te Matuku Bay off Waiheke Island is to become New Zealand's newest =
marine reserve, Conservation Minister Chris Carter announced today.
The reserve spans about 700 hectares from Te Matuku Bay out to Passage =
Rock islet, and contains a large estuary rare in the Auckland area and =
under represented among New Zealand's protected marine areas.
"This beautiful Waiheke bay has been a top priorty for marine protection =
since 1988. It contains an estuary and marine habitats of national =
significance, and best of all it is close to New Zealand's largest city, =
and off shore from a significant recreation area," Mr Carter said.
"The marine reserve will adjoin protected land on the foreshore in Te =
Matuku Bay. It completes the preservation of a unique sequence of =
habitats from indigenous forest on land to fresh-and-salt-water =
wetlands, mangrove forest, intertidal mudflats rich in wading birds and =
mussel beds, and the finally deep water marine environments of the =
Tamaki Straits.
Mr Carter said he hoped the Waiheke reserve would be a tourism success =
in the same way the Leigh and Poor Knights marine reserves had been. The =
Leigh reserve, for instance, got over 200,000 visitors a year.
Swimming, snorkelling, scientific exploration and diving will all be =
permitted inside the reserve," Mr Carter said.
"A small oyster farm within its boundary will also continue. Fishing =
will not but the boom in marine life that typically occurs after a =
marine environment is protected should enhance fish stocks in the =
numerous fishing areas outside the reserve."
Mr Carter said the reserve had received the approval of all three =
ministers required to protect it - conservation, fisheries and =
transport.
"This is the second marine reserve created by the Government this year =
following the Auckland Islands Marine Reserve announced two months ago. =
I hope by the end of the year we will have decisions on a further four =
marine reserves.
"At present just 0.1% of our inshore areas are protected compared to =
almost a third of our land," Mr Carter said.
He expressed his thanks to the Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society, =
the applicant for the reserve.
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<html><head></head><body><font face=3D'verdana' size=3D'2'><b>New marine =
reserve off Waiheke Island</b><br><br>Te Matuku Bay off Waiheke Island =
is to become New Zealand's newest marine reserve, Conservation Minister =
Chris Carter announced today.<BR><BR>The reserve spans about 700 =
hectares from Te Matuku Bay out to Passage Rock islet, and contains a =
large estuary rare in the Auckland area and under represented among New =
Zealand's protected marine areas.<BR><BR>"This beautiful Waiheke bay has =
been a top priorty for marine protection since 1988. It contains an =
estuary and marine habitats of national significance, and best of all it =
is close to New Zealand's largest city, and off shore from a significant =
recreation area," Mr Carter said.<BR><BR>"The marine reserve will adjoin =
protected land on the foreshore in Te Matuku Bay. It completes the =
preservation of a unique sequence of habitats from indigenous forest on =
land to fresh-and-salt-water wetlands, mangrove forest, intertidal =
mudflats rich in wading birds and mussel beds, and the finally deep =
water marine environments of the Tamaki Straits.<BR><BR>Mr Carter said =
he hoped the Waiheke reserve would be a tourism success in the same way =
the Leigh and Poor Knights marine reserves had been. The Leigh reserve, =
for instance, got over 200,000 visitors a year.<BR><BR>Swimming, =
snorkelling, scientific exploration and diving will all be permitted =
inside the reserve," Mr Carter said.<BR><BR>"A small oyster farm within =
its boundary will also continue. Fishing will not but the boom in marine =
life that typically occurs after a marine environment is protected =
should enhance fish stocks in the numerous fishing areas outside the =
reserve."<BR><BR>Mr Carter said the reserve had received the approval of =
all three ministers required to protect it - conservation, fisheries and =
transport.<BR><BR>"This is the second marine reserve created by the =
Government this year following the Auckland Islands Marine Reserve =
announced two months ago. I hope by the end of the year we will have =
decisions on a further four marine reserves.<BR><BR>"At present just =
0.1% of our inshore areas are protected compared to almost a third of =
our land," Mr Carter said.<BR><BR>He expressed his thanks to the Royal =
Forest & Bird Protection Society, the applicant for the =
reserve.<BR><br><br>The Chris Carter mailing list operated by OneSquared =
Limited.<br><br>Click <a =
href=3D'http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Lists/index.cfm?UID=3D2160&unsubscribe=
=3Dyes'>here</a> to unsubscribe.<br><br>If the unsubscribe link is not =
active, enter the following address in your browser address bar and =
press the Enter =
key.<br><br>http://www.beehive.govt.nz/Lists/index.cfm?UID=3D2160&unsubsc=
ribe=3Dyes<br><br>You can also subscribe to this service or change and =
maintain your existing subscription list by going to:<br><br> <a href =
=3D =
'http://www.beehive.govt.nz/lists/default.cfm'>http://www.beehive.govt.nz=
/lists/default.cfm</a><br><br></font></body></head>
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