Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari: addressing catchment and marine issues in an integrated marine spatial planning process

Abstract

1. Marine spatial planning (MSP) has increasingly been applied around the world to better manage the pressures and conflicts arising from human use of the sea.More recently it has been conceived as an approach to implement an ecosystem-based management approach to the marine environment. NewZealand was a late adopter of MSP, commencing its first MSP process in 2013 for the Hauraki Gulf (Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari), and completing the plan in late 2016. 3. The planning process drew on international experience in MSP and collaborative processes but was adapted considerably to take account of the local context. Most particularly, the plan reflected concerns about the ecological decline of the Hauraki Gulf as well the strong and growing role of Māori in natural resource management in New Zealand. 4. The Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari project was experimental and represents an innovation in MSP practice in a number of respects including: establishing a co-governance structure for the project; tasking a group of Māori tribal and stakeholder representatives with producing the plan on a collaborative basis;addressing both catchment and marine issues and sectors in an integrated manner; and integrating indigenous knowledge with science. 5. A number of valuable lessons from marine planning can be drawn from this project, including: MSP can support ecosystem-based management; collaborative processes can be powerful in achieving shared outcomes for the community and can create a rich learning environment for scientists; indigenous knowledge can strengthen planning processes by providing more holistic knowledge; and scientists within a MSP project can help frame the planning process and act as a conduit between the scientific and layperson communities.

An atlas of seabed biodiversity for Aotearoa New Zealand

“…The availability of an open access atlas housing a significant number of biodiversity layers provides an accessible source of data layers to inform further research, management and decision-making to support ecosystem-based management. These data are particularly relevant to marine spatial planning approaches which are useful tools for marine ecosystem-based management (Peart, 2019;Domínguez-Tejo et al, 2016). Such analyses allow the 185 optimisation of spatial scenarios for the conservation of biodiversity (e.g., MPA planning (Asaad et al, 2018;Zhao et al, 2020)) and for resource-use/biodiversity trade-offs (e.g., siting fishing corridors/aquaculture areas; (Rowden et al, 2019;Henriques et al, 2017)).…”

Ocean resource use: building the coastal blue economy

“…An obstacle for the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge has been to develop a marine management system for New Zealand which respectfully balances kaitiakitanga (guardianship and protection of environment) with Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) within a Māori perspective based on reciprocal obligation (Maxwell et al 2020 ). Multiple forms of localised collectives have worked together to develop cross-sectoral marine spatial plans, including integrated harbour management plans and effective coastline guardian groups (Makey and Awatere 2018 ; Peart 2019 ; Te Korowai 2012 ). Minimising complexity, strong leadership, and good facilitation support are critical for the success of these bottom-up initiatives (Lawless 2015 ).…”

“…At the same time, responsibility and benefits need to be shared, and, adequately resourced and funded (Alexander et al, in review, this issue). Actions by marine managers such as kaitiaki (Ocean Guardians) (Makey and Awatere 2018 ; Peart 2019 ; Te Korowai 2012 ) show that such transitions can be done without crippling economic outcomes or degrading quality of life.…”

Mountains‐to‐the‐sea conservation: An island perspective

“…Development and implementation of larger‐scale participatory processes have also occurred in New Zealand, bringing together diverse interest groups within collaborative planning frameworks. Peart () describes the Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan, or Sea Change Tai Timu Tai Pari, a larger‐scale participatory process that emphasizes connectivity between freshwater and marine environments in developing a suite of recommended actions aimed at restoring the ecological, social, cultural, and economic benefits provided by this diverse marine region that is home to New Zealand's largest city. This 3‐year process drew upon international experience in marine spatial planning, adapted to a New Zealand context, and reflected the need to integrate management of land‐based impacts to restore marine ecosystem health.…”

“…These broad‐scale conservation exercises inform decision making, taking a whole‐catchment view from the mountains to the sea, and increase focus on identifying vulnerable freshwater locations that have not yet exceeded thresholds of degradation and are therefore strong candidates for restoration. Linking such work with coastal prioritization exercises such as the one described by Peart () remains a future challenge.…”