Hauraki Gulf Marine Park faces increasing pressure from ecological threats

A new report is warning the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is under increasingly intense pressure from ecological threats.

But, the Hauraki Gulf Forum's latest report said there were now "clearer and more coordinated efforts to respond" to issues impacting the Gulf.

The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, Tīkapa Moana, Te Moananui-ō-Toi, stretched 14,000 square kilometres from Te Arai to Waihi. The park was considered the seabird capital of the world - however, 86 percent of those seabirds were threatened or endangered.

On Wednesday, the Hauraki Gulf Forum released its eighth report on the state of the Gulf since it began monitoring it more than 25 years ago.

Forum co-chairperson Nicola MacDonald said climate-related extreme weather events were still sending torrents of polluted and sediment-filled water into the Gulf's estuaries and harbours.

"More than 2300 drainage leaks and overflows were identified over the last three-year State of our Gulf reporting period as part of tackling ageing and badly designed infrastructure in Tāmaki."

She said that although overflows had reduced in some areas in recent years, in the same reporting period, more than 3000 new consents were given for residential and commercial buildings within 200m of the Gulf.

"We're yet to fix the past and current faults, and somehow new developments are consented without assurance that we have the infrastructure to manage existing, let alone future, pressures.

"We must pull all the levers within our control to bring our infrastructure up to scratch as this is a social, environmental and economic risk."

On a positive note, the report said forest birds were returning on the Gulf islands, crediting the work of mana whenua and communities on pest-free projects.

On Rakitū Island, tīeke (saddlebacks) had returned after more than 50 years, and on Tiritiri Matangi Island, hihi (stitchbird) were breeding in record numbers.

But forum co-chairperson and Thames-Coromandel Councillor Warren Maher said they were concerned destructive fishing practices such as bottom trawling were continuing.

The report said populations of kōura (crayfish) had been depleted, and tipa (scallop) fisheries remained closed to allow for recovery.

It said nearly 40 percent of coastal reefs in the Gulf have had its kelp eaten by kina and were now "barrens" due to overfishing.

"Recovery happens faster for all marine biodiversity if fishing pressures are reduced," Maher said.

"The recently shelved Fisheries Amendment Bill 2026 did nothing to advance an ecosystem-based approach to commercial fishing, and the forum stood firmly against it.

"The Gulf is an interconnected system, and we cannot continue to approach its management and restoration in a piecemeal and tentative way."

The report said the pressure marine heatwaves were having on already sedimented in-shore environments had seen Tuangi (cockles) return slower and smaller. Tāmure (snapper) were also showing signs of poor nutrition and were smaller sizes for their age.

MacDonald said rāhui laid by mana whenua to protect taonga species such as kōura, tipa, tuangi and other intertidal shellfish across the Gulf were helping, alongside the legislation introduced in 2025.

"Rāhui are adaptive and localised and are playing a crucial role in lifting pressure from taonga species that have been over harvested and are experiencing layers of stress from climate change effects and sedimentation."

But the forum's report said the efforts of communities and mana whenua were being "overwhelmed by the scale of decline".

It said if central and regional decision-makers "match the energy and ambition already expressed locally" it might "turn the tide for the Gulf".

"This is about community-led adaptation ensuring that our local land management practices directly support the restoration of our marine environment," Maher said.

"The work ahead is significant, but we know the path forward based on strong science and mātauranga across all eight of the State of our Gulf Reports.

"What this year's report calls for is greater coordination, increased pace and scale of action. We've made some good decisions recently and taken strong action, but it's going to take a great deal more commitment and effort to get the job done from grassroots to central government."

Marine protection legislation in 2025 enabled six percent of the Marine Park to be designated as high protection areas.

High protection areas were designed to restore marine ecosystems while allowing authorised customary fishing practices to continue.

The forum's goal was for 30 percent of the park to be designated as high protection by 2030.