Additional detail supporting frequently asked questions;

More about the Waiheke Marine Project (WMP)

The WMP began in April 2019, when a dedicated group of people from the Waiheke Collective became a sub-group and held a series of community meetings across Waiheke to call for volunteers to protect and regenerate the Waiheke Marine environment.

The WMP is an important pilot programme that could provide a model for implementation across Aotearoa/New Zealand showing how community consultation can help marine conservation and protection. This is consistent with Sea Change Project 2016 (Tai Timu Tai Pari), when the Stakeholder Working Group considered that any marine protection proposals for Waiheke Island and Aotea-Great Barrier Island be developed by the communities themselves.

What is Ahu Moana?

The concept of Ahu Moana was developed as part of Sea Change and refers to “co-management of areas covering the coastline of Tīkapa Moana / Te Moananui-ā-Toi to provide for joint mana whenua and community co-management of local marine areas.” Working together underpins Ahu Moana. The Waiheke Marine Project aims to adopt and promote this concept of Ahu Moana which was developed in Sea Change. “Co-management of areas covering the coastline of Tīkapa Moana / Te Moananui-ā-Toi to provide for joint mana whenua and community co-management of local marine areas.”

Although Ahu Moana is new and untested, the Waiheke Marine Project believes it is appropriate for Waiheke Island. We believe WMP will serve as a prototype for the Ahu Moana concept -– as it is Ngāti Paoa, mana whenua for Waiheke Island, and community led. This concept is a world-leading exemplar of an urban island dynamically co-managing its land and sea areas. We are confident that the raised consciousness of marine issues will result in actions throughout the course of the Project and these actions will be tracked for later evaluation. The Waiheke Marine Project aims to avoid the past divisiveness and confrontation and instead promote listening, respect, finding common ground and working together, in conjunction with Ngāti Paoa. A full and inclusive conversation is needed to strengthen voluntary action and collaboration that includes and unites all marine interests.

What challenges face Tikapa Moana?

Tikapa Moana (the Hauraki Gulf) is under threat from numerous factors such as: growth in populations around the Gulf, increased sedimentation, invasive pests, fishing (both commercial and recreational), pollution, degrading biogenic habitats and other anthropogenic/human activities. The need to preserve, conserve and help rehabilitate degraded habitats is essential for the health of the Gulf and survival of its species.

What is Sea Change?

Sea Change is currently being reviewed and an implementation strategy will be developed by the independent Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) established by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and the Department of Conservation (DOC). Recommendations for alterations to Sea Change are due in June 2020 (Check date).

About the Waiheke Collective

The Collective was formed in 2017, it includes: Ngāti Paoa, Auckland Council, Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust, Forest & Bird, QEII National Trust, Department of Conservation (DOC), Waiheke Resources Trust, and other local conservation organisations and individuals. The vision of the Waiheke Collective/Te Korowai O Waiheke is: “working together to activate & amplify efforts for a healthy & thriving Waiheke natural environment”. All initiatives that arise out of the Waiheke Collective (like the Waiheke Marine Project and Te Korowai o Waiheke) are committed to upholding the Charter of the Collective that gives guidelines for operating in a participatory and consensus building manner. Monthly meetings of the Waiheke Collective enable ongoing connection with the various environmental initiatives on the Island.

Te Korowai O Waiheke was the first major project to come out of the Collective. Now managed as an independent charitable trust, its goal is to eradicate mustelids and rats from Waiheke Island. The first stage of the Te Korowai o Waiheke project is mustelid (stoats, weasels and ferrets) eradication island-wide. The second stage is to pilot rat eradication on part of the Island.

Actions of the Waiheke Marine Project

• Researching the science of the current state of the marine environment and how to protect it,

• Gathering existing information on rules, regulations, laws and policies that can protect the sea and assessing whether they are working,

• Talking with people who live and work on the island and who want to protect and regenerate the marine environment,

• Holding key events to get diverse groups of people talking and listening https://waihekecollective.org/marinehome including fishers (both commercial and recreational), boaties, iwi, landowners, business and tourism operators, students and rangatahi, government agencies, conservation groups, academics, scientists and any other interested parties.

Throughout 2020, the Waiheke Marine Project will share the agreed actions and proposals with the community and work to promote understanding and implementation. Proposed and agreed-upon actions will be presented to the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) of Sea Change (due to report to Ministers of Conservation and Fisheries by end June 2020).

Funding and Sponsorship

The WMP have successfully applied for various grants to fund the community engagement, education and planning needed as groundwork for the success of the Future Search event, and to fund the event itself.

Funding to date:

• Waiheke Local Board funded initial planning and community engagement - $10,000

• The Working Together More Fund -– approx $20,000

• Hauraki Gulf environmental Innovation Fund, G.I.F.T, created by Foundation North funded a parallel work stream with Ngāti Paoa - $25,000

• Smaller grants and donations.

How can Sponsors help?

Funding to ensure the success of the Future Search process is still needed. We need to fund the event itself (the venue, the catering, transport and logistics etc.), capture stories, develop and produce the materials needed for before the event/s, the post-event materials and also costs of dissemination across our community.

What do Sponsors receive?

For Major Sponsors, your generosity comes with participation at Future Search.

For All Sponsors, we will be publishing materials with acknowledgements of your generosity. There will be press releases, interviews, advertising, and a dedicated section of the Waiheke Collective website, all places where we will acknowledge our Funders and Sponsors.

Subject to enough funding, there will also be a set of radio interviews/podcasts and a film of the important stages. The success of this Project, will provides a prototype for other community efforts.

The Hauraki Gulf Conservation Trust (HGCT) is acting as the umbrella funder for the Waiheke Collective and for this Waiheke Marine Project. The Trust’s objective is to initiate and support environmental projects in the Hauraki Gulf. The HGCT is providing the Project with a Treasurer as well as valuable advice and experience.

Youth focused events

On Sunday 5th April we, along with students from The Waiheke High School Sustainability Group, are planning to run a Youth event. Here marine experiences will be on offer and opportunities for youth to explore their own thoughts on the marine environment. It is anticipated that Ngāti Paoa rangatahi will participate in this day as it aligns with the Ngāti Paoa wananga on 3-5th April.

Our 3 Work Streams

As part of this Project, three work-streams were established including an Iwi work stream. An Information and Experiences group is focused on creating and providing information about the Hauraki Gulf and offering experiences (eg snorkelling, rock pool walks, film nights) to our community. A Future Search planning group is laying the groundwork for the Future Search Event (1-3 May) including logistics and the all-important participant selection process.

The Public Hui

On 15th August 2019 there was a public hui at Morra Hall, which had over 100 attendees, and a follow up hui on 28th August. These were used to promote broad community participation around the topic of marine protection and identify the benefits and challenges of marine regeneration around the island and Tikapa Moana, in a positive and inclusive way. The hui were also an opportunity to start engaging with as many demographic groups on Waiheke as possible, including fishers (both commercial and recreational), boaties, iwi, landowners, business and tourism operators, students and rangatahi, government agencies, conservation groups, academics, scientists and any other interested parties.

Department of Conservation role

DOC, which is working in partnership with the Waiheke Collective, is committed to supporting its Treaty Partner and the Waiheke community pursue their goals of protecting and regenerating the marine environment. To this end, DOC Partnerships Auckland is providing brokering, facilitation and capacity building support to the Waiheke Marine Project. Specifically this has taken the form of Miranda O’Connell as Pou Manutataki / Partnerships Manager for DOC supporting the Ngāti Paoa ki Waiheke group (iwi work stream), project managing the Future Search planning group. She will be co-facilitating the Future Search event along with two Ngati Paoa facilitators.