Our coast

Managing the coast

• Who does what?
• Where is Mean High Water Springs?

Who does what?

Management of the region's coast is shared between several different agencies.

ARC:

• prepares and implements the Auckland Regional Plan: Coastal, which sets out how the ARC
  

  Auckland Region Coastal Waters

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  manages the use, development and protection of the coastal marine area and adjacent coastal environment
• prepares and implements various other plans and strategies which aim to manage the use of land in order to protect coastal values ie Regional Policy Statement, Regional Plan: Air, Land and Water, Regional Growth Strategy, Regional Open Space Strategy
• processes and monitors coastal permits for activities in the coastal marine area (eg for wharves, boat ramps, sea walls, moorings, dredging, discharges, reclamations)
• undertakes compliance monitoring and enforcement.
• coordinates Ecocare / Beachcare / Coastcare and coastal education
• provides funding to community groups for coastal projects through the Environmental Initiatives Fund and Coastal Enhancement Fund
• undertakes coastal investigations and studies, including cultural and natural heritage along the coast
• monitors ecological data and beach profiles
• administers and participates in the Hauraki Gulf Forum
• controls oil pollution, navigation and safety out to the 12 nautical mile limit through the Harbour Master's office
• manages regional parks, many of which are along the coast
• provides funding for public ferry transport and facilities
• undertakes biosecurity operations, primarily controlling pests and weeds on land.

City and District Councils:

• manage local coastal reserves
• provide coastal facilities such as boat ramps and dingy lockers
• issue resource consents for activities ABOVE the line of mean high water springs (i.e. land activities outside the coastal marine area)
• issue building permits under the Building Act for structures on land and in the coastal marine area
• prepares and enforces bylaws to the mean low water mark. These may relate to control of dogs, litter, vehicle use or fires.

Department of Conservation:

• protects marine mammals (eg whales, dolphins, seals) and supervises rescues
• acts as conservation advocates to and on behalf of the general public
• manages marine reserves
• administers Crown-owned foreshore and seabed.

Minister of Conservation:

• approves regional coastal plans and any changes to coastal plans
• approves applications for restricted coastal activities (defined in the Auckland Regional Plan: Coastal)
• leases legally reclaimed land
• prepares the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement and monitors its effectiveness.

Ministry of Fisheries:

• manages all marine fisheries (includes shellfish)
• determines whether proposed Aquaculture Management Areas in regional coastal plans will have an adverse effect on fishing
• implements the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement Act 2004.

Biosecurity New Zealand:

• Has responsibility for controlling the deliberate or accidental importation of foreign organisms (including marine organisms) into New Zealand and controlling their subsequent spread. (Some of these functions are shared with regional councils).

Maritime New Zealand:

• manages the general control of vessels at sea, including survey standards
• co-ordinates the preparation by regional councils of oil spill contingency plans
• deals with oil spills outside of 12 nautical mile limit or in Tier III operations
• issues dumping permits beyond the 12 nautical mile limit.

Ministry for the Environment:

• provides guidance on the discharge of waste and sewage from vessels or offshore installations under the Marine Pollution Regulations.

Where is the Mean High Water Springs?

Mean High Water Springs (MHWS) is an administrative boundary which divides management responsibility within the coastal environment. Under the Resource Management Act, the area below MHWS is the responsibility of the ARC, while land above it is that of the city and district councils.

The foreshore and seabed below (MHWS) extending out to the 12 mile nautical limit - in other words the "wet" part of the coast - is called the coastal marine area.

MHWS is a dynamic boundary which is the average height of successive high tides when the tidal range is the greatest (i.e. average height of spring tides). Its approximate location can sometimes be indicated by observing the highest debris line on a beach or it can be along the toe of a cliff. MHWS has not been surveyed for the Auckland region as it has a dynamic and varying location.