Environmentalist groups disappointed by lack of Hauraki Gulf trawling ban

Ten years in the making, the government has launched its plan to revitalise Auckland's Hauraki Gulf - but it has immediately been slammed for not including an outright ban on trawler fishing.

The new marine protection and fisheries plan establishes 19 new protected areas across the gulf to regulate things like fishing and dumping.

The protections include bans on bottom-trawling and dragnet fishing in five areas, while marine protected areas will triple, from 6 percent to 18 percent of the gulf.

While the move has been praised for its sustainability, it has also been criticised for not going far enough.

Introducing the plan before a packed room, Prime Minister Chris Hipkins set the tone with a reminder about the threats facing the gulf and its wildlife, with a sparkling Waitematā Harbour as the backdrop.

"It's been some hard years for our natural environment - Mother Nature's been under stress and that includes the gulf," he said.

"Consecutive State of the Gulf reports... have documented what has been an ongoing decline."

While the Hauraki Gulf Forum welcomed the protections, co-chairperson Nicola MacDonald said it could have gone further.

"This package is not everything that the forum would wish for, but it is a massive step forward," she said. "We want 30 percent and thousands more square kilometres of the gulf… free from dredging."

With 82 percent of the Hauraki Gulf still open to fishing, MacDonald emphasised the need for protective measures.

"The legislation announced today needs to be passed, the impact of bottom fishing in the marine park remains unresolved, new threats have emerged that we need to fight."

However, when it came to ruling out bottom-trawling entirely, the prime minister said it was a discussion for later.

"Broader conversations about bottom-trawling are ongoing. The fact that we've made this particular decision here does not necessarily take off the table future discussion about bottom-trawling in all areas, but we'll deal with that everywhere, rather than in isolation," Hipkins said.

Conservation group Forest and Bird were also on hand to show support for the proposal, however they too wanted stronger protections. Hauraki Gulf campaign coordinator Bianca Ranson said action must be taken to defend against local threats.

"What we really need to see is this followed through swiftly and quickly, because it's urgent that we see the protection for the gulf."

Ranson said the plan needed cross-party support.

"While it's really good news with the announcement today, it definitely doesn't go far enough and what we're really calling on is for all the political parties to back the legislation so that we can see it set in place."

LegaSea Hauraki Gulf campaign spokesperson Benn Winlove told Checkpoint the whole gulf needed sea floor protection.

"We had the opportunity to create a 100 percent sea floor protected area, so, I think the government missed the mark there for sure."

He said the Hauraki Gulf needed to be restored immediately.

There were a lot of "bare areas that have sustained years and years of bottom trawling".

"The Firth of Thames used to be thriving with mussel beds, which were natural filtration species, and they're all gone. We need to rebuild it to get it back."

National Party leader Christopher Luxon offered cautious support.

"We do support anything that protects the gulf and so, first blush, we'll be open and we're supportive - but I want to understand the detail very clearly."

New legislation was needed to set up the protection areas. The government aimed to have the zones operational in 2024.

The next step, getting the policy through government and into action.