Open AccessA ‘sea change’ in marine planning: the development of New Zealand’s first marine spatial plan
Author(s) -
R.J. Peart
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
policy quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2324-1101
pISSN - 2324-1098
DOI - 10.26686/pq.v13i2.4658
Subject(s) - marine spatial planning , plan (archaeology) , environmental resource management , geography , spatial planning , marine conservation , resource (disambiguation) , marine ecosystem , climate change , marine protected area , environmental planning , stakeholder , oceanography , ecosystem , ecology , environmental science , political science , computer science , archaeology , habitat , biology , computer network , public relations , geology
Marine spatial planning is a well-established approach internationally, and has been used to assist in the application of an ecosystem-based management approach to the marine environment (Ehler and Douvere, 2009; Ehler, 2014). New Zealand’s first marine spatial plan was completed in December 2016. It was the result of a three-year Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari project which focused on addressing the growing spatial resource conflicts and ecological degradation associated with the Hauraki Gulf. The project was innovative in a number of respects, including: establishing a cogovernance structure; tasking a group of Mana Whenua (Hauraki Gulf iwi) and stakeholder representatives with producing the plan on a collaborative basis; addressing both catchment and marine issues in an integrated manner; and integrating mätauranga Māori and Western science.