Sea Week Highlights Importance Of Our Coastal Treasures

Conservation Minister Nick Smith today launched Sea Week at the site of an illegal car dump on Himitangi Beach. Sea Week this year focuses on treasures of the coast.

"For a lot of people, beaches bring visions of buried treasure. What we have on this beach is neither buried, nor treasure. Some New Zealanders are using our coast as a dumping ground. Our coastline and beaches are some of the most special parts of our country. They are a place of importance for all New Zealanders and an essential part of our tourism industry. We all have a responsibility to preserve this treasure by looking after our beaches and coastline."

One approach to protecting the coast is through no-take marine reserves.

"There are a record number of new marine reserve proposals expected this year and I am looking forward to considering these. The most marine reserves established in one year so far is two. Nearly a third of New Zealand's land mass is protected, while only 0.1 percent of the sea New Zealand manages is in marine reserves, we must do better."

Off the coast, New Zealand is also working hard to address the accidental by-catch of seabirds and marine mammals.

"Marine life, such as albatrosses, seals and dolphins, must contend with the 200 million hooks and hundreds of thousands of nets that are set in the Southern Hemisphere's waters every year. In New Zealand we have made good progress towards reducing the numbers of seabirds and marine mammals accidentally caught, although there are still more gains to be made. There's a growing group of fishers who are aware of, and concerned about, the negative impacts of fishing, and I hope others will follow their lead."

The Department of Conservation and the fishing industry are working together on ways to reduce accidental by-catch in New Zealand waters. They are developing various ways to make sure baits on longlines sink deep quickly so that seabirds can't dive for the baits, get hooked and drown. They are also currently trialling a device that will prevent marine mammals like the New Zealand sea lion drowning in trawl nets, as well as an acoustic warning device or 'pinger' to keep Hector's dolphins out of gill nets.

Sea Week is co-ordinated by the Marine Education Society of Aotearoa (MESA) and runs from today through until 21 March. There will be nation-wide activities taking place along the coastline co-ordinated by local DOC offices.