Government plan for marine reserves

Press, 24 June 1978, Page 23

Government plan for marine reserves

\ PA Auckland. I The Government is : working towards establish- * ing a series of marine rei serves on New Zealand’s i coastline. The Prime Minister (Mr ' Muldoon) told the Oceans j ’7B conference in Auckland that the changing nature i of the fishing industry : meant it was more im- ■ portant now than ever to ! set up such reserves for : scientific study. So far, only one reserve has been set up, in the area surrounding Goat Is- ■ land, near Leigh, off Warj kworth. But Mr Muldoon i said he hoped a second reserve would soon be

created around the Poor Knights Islands. After various delays, amending legislation had been passed to allow an application by the Hauraki Gulf Maritime Parks Board to proceed. “The long-term aim is a series of protected environments in key areas around our coasts: certainly not the creation of reserves in a haphazard fashion,” said Mr Muldoon. Setting up the reserves would be part of a worldwide trend which recognised that once the environment was altered it could not be completely restored to its original form.