SOUTH-EAST MARINE PROTECTION FORUM MEDIA RELEASE

MARINE PROTECTION CONSULTATION PROCESS GENERATING HIGH LEVEL OF INTEREST

The South-East Marine Protection Forum has just completed a series of public information sessions throughout the Forum region which, according to Forum chair, Maree Baker-Galloway, saw a high level of public interest and engagement with the marine protection process. In addition, Forum members representing the interests of commercial and recreational fishers held a series of well attended meetings with their respective stakeholders.

Maree Baker – Galloway estimates that from Bluff to Christchurch, upwards of 500 people have turned out to learn more about the submission process and to further their understanding of the objectives of marine protection on the South Island’s South-East Coast.

She says, “The meetings were a great opportunity for people to clarify the nature of the Forum’s proposals and to reinforce the fact that at this point none of the 20 proposed sites for marine protection are locked in, that the feedback and information provided in submissions will be influential in shaping the Forum’s final recommendations to government.

“We want people to understand that when they make a submission we really want to know their viewpoint, not just whether or not they oppose or support a site but to tell us their reasons why."

“The meetings have also served to reinforce the diversity of views that are held by the community within our region, with many supporting marine protection, and many expressing serious concerns about it.”

Over 60 submissions have been received already, with the majority of those being received through the online submission form on the Forum’s website. A hard copy submission form is also available and provided in the Consultation Document.

Maree Baker- Galloway says this early response rate, in itself, suggests that there is a lot of public engagement with the process and that the final number of submissions could be very high.

“The bulk of submissions for most consultation processes flood in closer to the deadline, so we expect to be deluged by the time submissions close on 20 December.”

Following the close of submissions, the Forum have until the end of April 2017 to deliver their final recommendations to government. Any recommendations that the government accept will then be required to go through a statutory consultation process.

https:// south-eastmarine.org.nz

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