The Hauraki Gulf is set to receive the largest boost in marine protection in more than a decade, following the Government’s progress of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Act through Parliament.

Conservation Minister Tama Potaka says the changes will create High Protection Areas across 800 square kilometres of the Gulf, covering key habitats from the Mokohīnau Islands to the Aldermen Islands.

Limited ring-net fishing will be permitted in only three per cent of the total protected area, with a review scheduled after three years.

The Department of Conservation has already deployed a team of Marine Rangers to educate the public, monitor the new zones and ensure compliance.

Goat Island Marine Reserve near Leigh, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, will more than triple in size under the new legislation.

Potaka highlighted both the ecological and economic importance of the Gulf, which is estimated to be worth $100 billion to New Zealand through fishing, recreation and tourism.

“We want to bring back more fish, more variety, more biodiversity to restore the health of the Gulf,” he said.

For Hibiscus Coast locals, who treasure the Gulf for boating and fishing, the legislation could mean healthier waters and stronger fish stocks in the years ahead.

With one-third of New Zealand’s seabirds breeding in the Gulf and habitats such as kelp forests and fragile coral at risk, the move is seen as a vital step toward reversing decades of ecological decline.

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