Views differ on protection for remote islands

Press, 1 September 1982, Page 20

Views differ on protection for remote islands

From

OLIVER RIDDELL,

in Wellington

A draft contingency policy for communications stations on some of New Zealand’s outlying islands, which are nature reserves, has brought into the ' open a conflict between two Government agencies with responsibilities for them. For. once it is not a conflict between developing and conserving, but over the needs of conservation.

The policy is being prepared by the Department of Lands and Survey in response to the possibility of increased marine petroleum exploration in the Great South, Campbell, and Solander basins south of New Zealand in the sub-Antarctic. It will cover all outlying island nature reserves: the Kerrnadec Islands in the north; the Snares, Auckland, Campbell, Bounty, and Antipodes Islands in the south.

Even so, the policy has been criticised by the Nature Conservation Council. It considers there is no need for a policy, because by 1988 a global positioning system involving 24 satellites will make seismic surveys and off-shore exploration more convenient and remove the need for land-based stations altogether.

Landing on the islands is prohibited unless authorised under , Section 57 of the Reserves Act. Any applicants would have to prepare an environmental impact assessment justifying the station, and giving reasons for the site chosen. The assessment would also include precautions to.be taken against the introduction of alien plants and animals, marine pollution, fire, an<j litter. The Nature Conservation Council is particularly worried about the Auckland Islands. In 1978 it sought National Reserve status for them, in view of their natural values and international status, but nothing has been done to improve their level of protection. The general criteria for National Reserve status have still not been laid down by the National Parks and Reserves Authority.

Until these criteria have been fixed and National Reserve status imposed, the council considers the Auckland Islands to be at risk, particularly from rats off visiting ships. The council has written to the Minister of Lands, Mr Elworthy, over its concern at the delays.