Minister highlights need for EBM on World Ocean Day

The contribution of our work towards creating healthy resilient oceans has been recognised by the Ocean and Fisheries Minister David Parker, in a speech at Auckland University.  

On World Ocean Day (June 8) Minister Parker addressed fisheries, research and environmental stakeholders.  

He highlighted the importance of the ocean to our way of life in Aotearoa New Zealand: “Many of us have grown up near or live by the sea, and our oceans and fisheries help put food on the table and create jobs in our communities. We want to protect our diverse ocean ecosystems so that can continue.”  

Mr Parker noted that the government’s vision for the Ocean and Fisheries portfolio focuses on long-term ocean health because “we need to have resilient and healthy ocean and coastal ecosystems to provide for us now and for future generations”. 

He said key objectives to achieve this include: 

• An ecosystem-based approach to research, monitoring, and management 
• Development of a high-value marine economy that provides equitable well-being benefits – what we would call a blue economy 

Sustainable Seas Challenge was used as an example by the Minister of an organisation making a “valuable contribution” toward this.  

The revitalisation of the Hauraki Gulf was also touched on by the Minister, who explained the Government’s strategy Revitalising the Gulf, sets out a long-term plan to improve the health of the area. Sustainable Seas is playing a role in helping to develop a plan for ecosystem-based fisheries management in the gulf, through our EBFM in the Hauraki Gulf project.