Waikato Regional Council have released their discussion document for the Regional Coastal Plan and regional councilor for the west coast, Fred Lichtwark, is concerned that the document classifies Whāingaroa harbour as having less value as a harbour than the likes of Aotea and Kawhia.
(listen to the full interview below:)
“I got pretty upset about that because, in fact, all estuaries are responsible for replenishing our coastal fishery. Most harbours are just that; a harvest for marine fishery, nursery habitats and all estuaries should have the same classification.”
The lower classification arose from the use of outdated documentation from 30 years ago prior to the community and Whāingaroa Harbour Care getting involved to clean up the harbour.
“By giving our harbour or any estuary a lower classification and not treating it for its full potential or restoring it to its full potential is undervaluing and not building resources.
“Now, over the last 30 years, Whāingaroa harbour is better than Aotea and Kawhia because of water quality, and the biodiversity has returned due to the fact that the people that live here do actually care about the catchment, the rivers, streams and what ends up in our harbour. So for staff to give it a lower rating, they copped an earful,” said Fred.
For Fred, a big issue for the west coast is to ban recreational dredging within our harbour and estuaries. He says there needs to be targeted bans on dredging in the harbour and estuaries - not just for offshore seabed dredging - to protect the biodiversity of our coast.
“Dredging within harbours and estuaries, there's way more damage being done to the fishery doing that - just as much, if not more than off-shore bottom trawling.
“That’s restricted now out beyond the 12 nautical mile limit because of the Maui dolphin. But if the Maui dolphins suddenly become extinct then there would probably be no rule or reason for them not to be coming back, and sure again, damaging biodiversity values within that very critical area around the coast.”
Fred encourages everyone in the community to make a submission if you have any thoughts around the coastal plan and especially if you’d like to ban dredging practices in our harbour and estuaries.
“You can talk about reserves if you want marine reserves or areas that the people may want protected. This is the opportunity to do all of that. Go ahead. This is the first time it's been reviewed for 20 years and it could be another 20 years before it gets re reviewed again.”
For Whāingaroa, the coast provides not only space for recreational activities like surfing but it also has huge value for its cultural heritage, natural landscape and indigenous biodiversity and is regarded as a place where we go to seek physical, mental and spiritual sustenance, and where we can go to gather kaimoana.
Waikato Regional Council has been reviewing its Regional Coastal Plan with input from iwi, coastal residents and users, industry and other key stakeholders. The coastal plan is the ‘rulebook’ for managing and regulating activities in the coastal marine area.
The plan sets out the objectives, policies, rules and methods the Waikato Regional Council will use to manage our region’s natural resources.
The discussion document for the coastal plan is now available on the Waikato Regional Council website where you can submit your feedback. The discussion document covers issues like access, marinas, aquaculture, iwi management plans and coastal erosion.
Back in 2020, the regional council researched and evaluated the current plan, analysed iwi management plans and statutory requirements and began their initial engagement process with early policy directions developed.
“Over the last couple of years staff and myself have been out around the community in Hamilton, members of all stakeholders within Raglan, Kawhia have met up and gone over their submissions. And it's all starting to come to a head now where a draft coastal plan is being made available to the public to submit on,” says Fred
The west coast of the Waikato spans from Port Waikato in the north down to Mōkau in the south and includes the Kāwhia, Aotea and Whāingaroa harbours. The coastal plan also covers the east coast of the Waikato which includes the Hauraki Gulf, Tīkapa Moana – Firth of Thames and the waters off the Coromandel Peninsula.
Both coasts have unique qualities and the discussion document covers the different elements that are valued by each coast. While the document discusses things like aquaculture and marinas, issues more relevant to the east coast, Fred says that members of the community still need to submit to make their views known.
In regards to a marina at the Raglan wharf, there has been criticism that a marina would not benefit the community and would in fact restrict access to parts of the coast as well as cause issues around pollution.
“The marina is not really something that I can see in the pipeline. But you're right in that there is not a lot of benefit in having marinas built probably within any of our three harbours, that's probably something that's more focused on the east coast,” says Fred.
Feedback for the Regional Coastal Plan will be open until the end of April – head to the Waikato Regional Council website to submit your feedback today.