Petition Launched to Halt High Protection Fishing Areas off Coromandel Peninsula Coast

Written by on March 5, 2025

Have your say on a call made recently at a public meeting, to drop the plan to establish high protection no fishing (except customary) areas off the south-eastern Coromandel Peninsula coast.

The meeting was attended by both recreational and commercial fishermen who maintained the zones would have little to no impact on restoring fish stocks in the area.

Expert advice was provided at the meeting from two marine scientists who maintained that the proposed areas currently act simply as transition areas for fish, not a breeding location.

Subsequently, the meeting called for authorities to utilise locally based knowledge and expertise to develop a strategy to both protect fish species in the area, improve fish stocks while also enabling people to continue to enjoy recreational fishing being a major past-time for residents and visitors.

The petition is requesting: That the House of Representatives withdraw proposed high protection fishing areas, relating to Slipper Island and the Aldermen Islands off the south-eastern Coromandel Peninsula Coast, as proposed in the Government’s Hauraki Gulf /Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill.

The reasoning: This petition is being requested following a meeting in Whangamata with more than 200 people that requested further action to oppose the Government’s Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill in the three HPA’s off the east coast of the Coromandel. Viewpoints argue that specific controls would not achieve the biodiversity outcomes sought.

Open the link below to sign the petition.

Petition of John Grant: No High Protection Fishing Areas around Slipper and Aldermen Islands


Reader's opinions
  1. Kallum Webb   On   March 6, 2025 at 11:23 am

    Stop bottom trawling and perceiners from taking full eco systems instead of stopping everything in 1 little area

  2. Michael Lee   On   March 6, 2025 at 5:05 pm

    as this is not a breeding ground and of importance to recreational fishing,I say no toarine protection

  3. Edith van der Meer   On   March 6, 2025 at 6:23 pm

    the commercial fisheries do far more damage than the local fishermen/women with 7 fish each/day! get real, get rid of bottom trawling!!

  4. Marie Holten   On   March 6, 2025 at 8:13 pm

    Keep all trallers out 15 kms from main land .
    No to the Marina reserve’s, put them in other places

  5. Matthew Lansdowne   On   March 6, 2025 at 8:37 pm

    According to evidence given by professional marine scientists the proposed marine reserve plan does not make sense. Please consider developing a more robust and fruitful plan.

  6. Mervyn Batt   On   March 6, 2025 at 9:22 pm

    have signed.
    if it’s closed to recreational fishermen it should be closed to all.
    if not leave it open to all.
    govt needs to sort the division in this country

  7. Grant   On   March 6, 2025 at 11:51 pm

    The biggest crime against fishing in NZ is customary permits. The abuse goes un abated , un audited and is used as a rape and pillage of of our fishing in New Zealand . Fixing this abuse is the biggest single thing we can do to sustain fishing. Anything else just enhances the ability of the bogus customary fishing to continue the destruction.

  8. Angela   On   March 10, 2025 at 7:41 am

    The area specified does not make any sense at all. Perhaps those who come up with these preposterous ideas may like to broaden their thought processes to the effects these High Halt Protection areas will have on the greater region and the citizens who live within that area then add tourists to the region. Have they considered the relentless hammering the commercial trawlers have on this area. It appears not!

  9. Ian Preece   On   March 10, 2025 at 7:39 pm

    We are splitting hairs while our marine life is being fished out of existence. It is a small area that needs to be protected so I do not support your petition. We need to stop bottom trawling too. The evidence against this practice is clear and compelling and it is unwarranted and embarrassing that New Zealand does this.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *



[There are no radio stations in the database]