New Zealand

Marine Protected Areas in New Zealand

The New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone is more than 15 times the size of its land area. Only a small fraction of these waters are protected, despite over 50 MPAs in New Zealand. These MPAs span varying sizes and types, from the over 620,00 sq km Kermadec Benthic Protection Area to the 0.6 sq km Waikanae Estuary Scientific Reserve. Over 30 of New Zealands MPAs are no-take reserves totaling over 12,000 sq km, the majority of which fall into two remote reserves: the Auckland Islands (Motu Maha) Marine Reserve to the south and Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve to the north. These two marine reserves make up over 99% of the no-take marine reserves in New Zealand.

New Zealand aims to protect 10% of its marine environment in marine protected areas as part of the New Zealand Biodiversity Project. Through this, the government aims to protect fish stocks and the valuable marine diversity found in New Zealand, including mangroves, reefs and intertidal ecosystems. While New Zealand MPAs are better managed and enforced than many countries around the world, there are still challenges with enforcement and natural resource protection.

Sources:

New Zealand Department of Conservation