1 November 2011 – Wellington

Forest & Bird media release for immediate use

Forest & Bird praises Labour’s promise to protect Kermadecs

Independent nature conservation organisation Forest & Bird today welcomed the Labour Party’s proposal to protect the Kermadec region north of mainland New Zealand with a massive marine sanctuary.

Forest & Bird Kermadec Advocate Karen Baird said the Kermadec region was New Zealand’s only subtropical area, and had a magnificent concentration of seabirds and marine animals.

“It is one of Earth’s last great stretches of relatively untouched ocean. It has a wonderful mix of tropical and temperate animals, both above water and below, and includes migratory whales, sharks, tuna and swordfish,” Karen Baird said. “Up to 15 million seabirds live in the region, including albatrosses, petrels and shearwaters.

“New Zealand has one of the largest marine areas in the world – the fourth-largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). We have a responsibility to manage this area wisely for future generations. The Kermadecs covers 620,000 square kilometres, or 15 per cent of our EEZ. By protecting it, we would be making a clear statement to the world about the value we put on our marine biodiversity.”

A marine sanctuary would range from the shallow waters around the islands that are already protected to the extreme depths of the Kermadec Trench. The trench is the second-deepest place on the planet. It would include a significant part of the volcanically active Kermadec Arc with its 50 submarine volcanoes and unique forms of life.

ENDS

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