Why it matters
The Hauraki Gulf is an incredible place, globally recognised for the diversity of its wildlife, including whales, dolphins, and seabirds.
This ocean world, right on our doorstep, supports the people of Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and beyond, providing well-being, recreation, and livelihoods. Its kaimoana has fed generations of Kiwi whānau.
But the Hauraki Gulf is in crisis. Waters that once shimmered with vast schools of trevally and snapper, and reefs that bristled with crayfish, are now overfished. Bottom trawling continues to destroy the seabed, leaving behind an underwater desert. Every time it rains, sewage, heavy metals and mud flow into the gulf from our cities, farms, and industries, making it unswimmable for humans and increasingly harmful to the wildlife that lives in it. With a rapidly growing population, we urgently need better ways of managing our impact on the marine environment.
The need for action is urgent. Working with mana whenua and other conservation partners, we are calling for:
- 30% marine protection
- a plan of action to reduce sedimentation entering the marine environment
- an end to bottom trawling.
Show your love for our precious Hauraki Gulf Tīkapa Moana. Protect what you love.
What can you do
Speak up for more marine protection
The Government is proposing 19 new protection zones across the Gulf. This is the result of years of collaboration and consultation between decision-makers, mana whenua and stakeholders. This exciting proposal would lift the proportion of the Gulf protected from 6% to 18% – an important step towards our 30% goal.
Sign the petition to show your support for more marine protection
Stop bottom trawling in the Gulf
Destructive fishing methods such as bottom trawling, dredging, and Danish seining have been ripping up the seafloor and decimating benthic ecosystems for decades. We're calling for an end to these practices within the Gulf.
Sign the petition to call for an end to bottom trawling in the Gulf
![Pekapeka long-tailed bat. Credit Ian McGregor [copyright Stuff]](/sites/default/files/styles/ratio_5_x_3_small_/public/2023-03/%C2%A9Stuff%20long%20tailed%20bat%20Iain%20McGregor.jpg?itok=13kjkJ61)
