Fiordland Marine Management Bill on its way

New law to validate and implement local management of the special environment of the South Island's fiords is a step closer with the first reading of the Fiordland Marine Management Bill 2004 in Parliament today.

Environment Minister Marian Hobbs told the House of Representatives the bill is a tribute to the Fiordland Guardians’ vision, tenacity, and commitment to the sustainable management and protection of the area's unique marine environment.

"The bill's genesis was in Fiordland, amongst people who care deeply about the health and wellbeing of the area’s marine environment," Marian Hobbs said. "Rather than complaining about outside interference or rule-setting for Fiordland’s marine environment, these people decided to pull together all stakeholders – fishermen, iwi, scientists, tourist operators, and environmentalists – and develop some proposals to better manage and protect the area."

The bill:
·Recognises the national and international importance of the natural features of Fiordland’s marine environment.
·Identifies the marine area.

·Establishes the Fiordland Marine Guardians, to advise the government and Environment Southland.
·Creates eight new marine reserves, totalling about 9430 hectares to augment existing Fiordland marine reserves at Milford and Doubtful Sounds.
·Allows for more effective management of ‘marine areas of special significance’ (areas identified by the Guardians for their special and ecologically fragile features).

The bill was referred to Parliament's Fisheries and Other Sea-related Legislation Committee for public submissions and is due back in the House by April 4, 2005.