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Guardians’ gifts are Fiordland’s gain
The 'gifts and gains' concept initiated by the Fiordland Guardians, and the sustainable management of the Fiordland marine environment are in full flow.
Fiordland's marine landscape is home to
thousands of unique marine plants and
animals.
Photo // Department of Conservation.
The famous marine landscape appears infinite and is clearly stunning and full of life. It stretches about 400 kilometres up the western side of the South Island. It is home to thousands of unique marine plants and animals, and receives many visitors.
The Fiordland Marine Guardians have made great progress in influencing the management of this area by practising the theory that in order to gain something, people need to cooperate and give something too, that is, gifts for gains. This approach is how negotiations for a plan to retain this rich and precious environment were achieved. One of the founders of the Guardians, John Steffens (who has just finished his term) says the aim for the area was for it not to be dominated by one group or another to the detriment of all, but for it to be sensibly shared.
“A few years ago the evidence of overfishing, particularly of lobster in the area, and the increase in recreational fishing boats was becoming a concern to many locals. Rather than continuing to mutter and grumble about this, we got people together and said: ‘What are we going to do about making this marine area work properly for everyone forever, rather than it not working at all for anyone soon?’,” said Steffens.
"Locals who use the area daily were noticing negative changes in catch sizes and the environment so we started collecting data, particularly from Milford Sound and Doubtful Sound, so we could suss out a strategy to reverse any declines and a roadmap for the other sounds to secure a sustainable future."
The result of this foresight and determination was that in 2003 the Guardians presented the Government with their working strategy for the conservation and protection of Fiordland’s marine environment. This was gratefully accepted and endorsed by the then Minister of Fisheries, Pete Hodgson and Environment Minister, Marion Hobbs who together guided it through parliament and created the Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Management Act 2005. This gave the Guardians the authority and mandate to be involved in decisions affecting the area.
They started to advise central and local government agencies, and likewise the agencies were required to keep them in the loop. Nga Tahu’s interests and perspectives were cemented in as members of the Guardians. The Act also required that five of the eight Guardians must be people living in the area.
The Guardians' Chairman Malcolm Lawson feels this new approach to environmental management is proving a powerful way to ensure decisions by authorities work on the ground.
Fiordland's marine landscape is home to thousands of unique
marine plants and animals.
Photo // Department of Conservation.
"The Guardians’ heart and soul resides in the area and they breathe it everyday,” Lawson explains.
The Guardians now believe all issues, such as depleted fishes, are manageable and can be turned around without shutting the place down to visitors, which was a possibility not so long ago.
The Guardians’ approach is opening new doors.
One of the Guardians’ main roles is to advise government agencies of any threats facing Fiordland’s marine environment.
An example of the Guardians’ advice to central government last year was that more direct action needed to be taken to stop undaria (invasive seaweed) reaching Fiordland. As a result, a control programme is underway to prevent this and other marine pests from becoming established in Fiordland.
"We recognised that if no action was taken it was only a matter of time until undaria became established in Fiordland and this would have had an irreversible effect on the marine environment," Lawson said.
Over the past two years, the Guardians have given advice on applications from the energy sector and helped develop a biological monitoring programme for Fiordland amongst other work.
“More recently we have been involved with the Department of Conservation in the development of their management plan for the southern most population of bottlenose dolphin in Doubtful Sound whose numbers are low,” Lawson said.
Their first meeting of the year had a busy agenda and welcomed the new Guardian Jerry Excell.
The Ministry for the Environment provides secretariat services for the Guardians.
For more information contact Maree Kleinlangevelsloo email maree.kleinlangevelsloo@mfe.govt.nz or phone (04) 439 7481.
The Guardians’ annual report can be read online at www.fmg.org.nz/
