A Tairua fisherman has criticised Coromandel MP Scott Simpson for supporting legislation that will result in new marine protection areas in the Hauraki Gulf, because it would “lock up” his favourite fishing spots.

Coromandel fisherman Scott Lee, who said he had been fishing the area for decades, said the new high-protection areas would spell disaster for fishers and holiday homeowners.

“Not only will the high protection areas lock up many of our favourite fishing spots, but purse seining and bottom trawling will still be allowed within the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

“I feel we have been seriously let down by Scott Simpson. Scott chaired the committee that passed this legislation through the select committee process ready for signing into law. He is very aware of all the issues, yet these decisions were made under his stewardship.”

But Simpson said he would not apologise for supporting the Hauraki Gulf Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill that Cabinet has agreed to pass, as it would create new high protection areas, new seafloor protection areas, and extensions to existing marine reserves.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka said the bill would nearly triple the amount of space protected in the gulf.

Limited ring-net fishing would continue for a small number of fishers in protected areas who supplied regional communities, he said.

The Hauraki Gulf Forum, a statutory body responsible for promoting the conservation and management of the Hauraki Gulf, has already expressed concern, saying opening up high-protection areas to commercial fishing would undermine years of collaboration by successive governments with iwi, communities, and industry to ensure the gulf was protected and restored.

Coromandel MP Scott Simpson. Photo / Hagen Hopkins

Simpson said the new legislation would increase the area of the gulf protected from 0.3% to 6%, leaving 94% for Lee and others to fish.

Lee said the high-protection areas had been chosen with no thought for the community..

Simpson said the Hauraki Gulf was the marine space most intensely used in New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

“In the eight years since the sea change plan was eventually finalised the state of the gulf has become much worse.”

The sea change plan, developed over four years by a cross-sector group, was unveiled in 2016, to help stem the flow of sediment and other pollutants into the gulf, ease pressures on wildlife, reverse dwindling fish stocks, and restore the health of crucial ecosystems.

Lee said the original sea change document identified many reasons for the depletion of the fish stocks and the degradation of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.

“Among these were the destructive commercial fishing practices like bottom trawling and purse seining; despite a mountain of scientific evidence of the destructive nature of these practices, they are still allowed in the new legislation.

“Ask yourself why there are no baitfish inshore, workups out wide, or seabirds, not to mention kina barrens and mushy flesh, poor condition snapper, as a last-minute slap in the face for recreational fishers, commercial fishing will be allowed within some of the high protection areas.”

Simpson said New Zealand’s first marine reserve established, in the Hauraki Gulf in 1975 at Leigh, was small, and almost 50 years on, only 0.3% of the gulf has been protected.

“Yes, some of Scott [Lee’s] favourite fishing spots fall within one of the proposed new protection areas and he is feeling the same way some fishers in Leigh felt back in 1975.

“That’s no reason not to proceed with further, and some would say still inadequate, protection of the rapidly deteriorating gulf eco-systems,” Simpson said.

“I doubt there would be any of those 1975 Leigh fishers that opposed the first reserve who would now think it was still a bad idea.

“Scott [Lee] complains that as the select committee chair considering the bill, I have let him down as his constituent MP. I think it would be a far greater failing for me as Coromandel MP not to support this move to help halt the gulf’s declining health.”

-Waikato Herald.