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Hauraki Gulf Forum

About the Forum

The need for better understanding and management of the Hauraki Gulf, its islands and catchments, led to the passing of the Hauraki Marine Park Act (2000) which included the establishment of the Hauraki Gulf Forum.

The Forum has appointed the Auckland Regional Council (ARC) as its administering authority.

Hauraki Gulf Forum membership

The Forum comprises of:

  • representatives of the Ministers of Conservation, Fisheries and Maori Affairs
  • six representatives of the tangata whenua of the Hauraki Gulf and its islands (appointed by the Minister of Conservation after consultation with the tangata whenua and the Minister of Maori Affairs)
  • seven representatives from the Auckland Council, including 1 member of each of the Great Barrier island and Waiheke Island local boards
  • Representatives of the Hauraki District Council, Matamata-Piako District Council, Thames-Coromandel District Council, Waikato District Council and Waikato Regional Council

View a full list of the Forum representatives

Forum purpose

Section 15 of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act (2000) states that the Forum has the following purposes:

(a) To integrate the management and, where appropriate, promote the conservation and management in a sustainable manner, of the natural, historic, and physical resources of the Hauraki Gulf, its islands, and catchments, for the benefit and enjoyment of the people and communities of the Gulf and New Zealand.

(b) To facilitate communication, co-operation, and co-ordination on matters relating to the statutory functions of the constituent parties in relation to the Hauraki Gulf, its islands, and catchments, and the Forum.

(c) To recognise the historic, traditional, cultural, and spiritual relationship of tangata whenua with the Hauraki Gulf, its islands, and, where appropriate, its catchments.

Forum functions and powers

Section 17 of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act (2000) sets out the Forum's functions. These include:
  • preparing a list of strategic issues and determining a priority for action on each
  • producing a state of the environment report for the Hauraki Gulf every three years
  • monitoring and sharing information on the state of resources
  • receiving reports from:
    • Constituent parties on addressing the strategic issues
    • Tangata whenua on iwi management or development plans
    • Persons and groups with an interest in the Gulf
  • promoting and advocating integrated management and, where appropriate, sustainable management
  • encouraging and disseminating educational and promotional material
  • facilitating and encouraging co-ordinated financial planning
  • commissioning research into matters relating to the functions of the Forum
  • producing an annual report each year, which is presented to the House of Representatives by the Minister of Conservation.

The Forum cannot:

  • appear before a court or tribunal other than as a witness if called by a party to proceedings
  • take part in a decision-making process under any enactment other than to advise when requested to do so.. 

Forum strategic issues

In 2008 the Forum identified the strategic issues for the Gulf related to:

  • integrated management
  • raising awareness, understanding and recognition of the national significance of Tikapa Moana - Hauraki Gulf
  • pataka (storehouse of food and knowledge)
  • water quality
  • biodiversity
  • natural character and landscape
  • cultural heritage
  • access
  • coastal hazards
  • climate change.

Further information on these is available in the Strategic Issues Document.

Work plan  

Past projects

Current projects (2008-09):

Environmental indicators
After completing two State of the Environment Reports this project aims to establish an agreed, consistent set of environmental indicators for the Hauraki Gulf catchment, utilising national, regional and district standards and data sets.
The next Hauraki Gulf State of the Environment report will be published in 2010 and report progress against the strategic issue areas identified by the forum.

Planning guidance
After eight years the management objectives of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act are not well reflected in regional policies and plans. This project aims to provide interpretation and best practice guidance for implementing the Act in the second generation of regional policies and plans and district plans expected over the coming years.

Governing the Gulf: Giving Effect to the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act through Policies and Plans was approved by the Hauraki Gulf Forum on May 6 2009.

     
Governing the Gulf Giving Effect to the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act through Policies and Plans (3.7 MB PDF)
 
Communications
The Weaving the Strands newsletter, the web site www.haurakigulfforum.org.nz, special events and a new Guidebook to the Hauraki Gulf, supported by a writers grant from the forum, will inform debate and encourage coordinated and careful management of the resources of the Gulf.

Applying kawa
Extends the work on establishing kawa completed this year and previous papers on kaitiakitanga by tangata whenua technical officers. Understanding of Maori perspectives and approaches to resource management will be applied to the development of tikanga, or policy positions, and to education and behaviour change programmes.

Funeralcare magazine article, June 2009:

     
Funeralcare magazine article (48.3 KB PDF)

Kaitiakitanga and Integrated Management

Research paper received 28 March 2007 and adopted for use in informing future Forum projects, activities and actions.

     
Kaitiakitanga and Integrated Management (76.3 KB PDF)

Community shellfish monitoring
Strengthens the forum's community shellfish monitoring programme, now carried out at 12 sites around the Gulf, some of which are now in their fifth year of data collection. Emphasis will be on supporting survey coordinators and developing a database with enhanced security and querying functions.

The forum has recently produced educational resources to assist schools and community groups with shellfish monitoring.

Cultural heritage management
Responds to deficiencies - identified in the forum's state of the environment reports - of capacity within agencies for the management of cultural heritage resources. A capacity building seminar will explore the use of tools such as effects based planning, predictive modelling and cultural heritage inventories.

 

Seminar: Identifying and managing places with historic and cultural significance in the Hauraki Gulf, 5 June 2009.

Panui/invitation:

Hauraki Gulf Forum cultural heritage seminar (33.3 KB PDF)

Background papers:

Effects based planning for cultural heritage (269.0 KB PDF)

Cultural Heritage Management Seminar and Guidelines - information for contributors (149.2 KB PDF)

Programme:

Hauraki Gulf Forum Heritage Seminar Programme (40.2 KB PDF)

Presentation by Nathan Kennedy - Ngati Whanaunga Environment Officer, Research Officer - International Global Change Institute presentation from NZ Historic Places Trust.

Nathan Kennedy HGF Heritage Seminar (843.4 KB PDF)

NZ Historic Places Trust - HGF Seminar (342.9 KB PDF)

 

Communication, co-ordination, co-operation
The forum recognises effective management requires leadership by all agencies and groups with responsibilities and interests in the Hauraki Gulf.
For each meeting, forum members prepare and review constituent party reports to exchange information about important initiatives and investments being made around the Gulf.
This forms the basis for joint planning and outcome-focussed integrated management for the Gulf.

Forum meetings

Hauraki Gulf and Catchment Map

View large image

The Forum meets four times a year. Meetings are usually held at one of the constituent party offices. Meetings are open for the public to attend.

View minutes and agendas from the Hauraki Gulf Forum Meetings.

Continue to Agendas and minutes