As 2014 draws to a close, Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari is preparing for the most critical phase of its work: the writing of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan.

Between now and late January, you have a key opportunity to make your contribution to this work.

Read on for details – and for all the latest project updates.

2014 has already been a huge year for those working on Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari, but I’d have to say the last eight weeks of the year are proving the busiest yet! In this issue we look at a key opportunity for you to add your voice to our work, our final two-day Stakeholder Working Group meeting for the year on Rotoroa Island, two ‘Hauraki 100+’ events (one in Thames, one in Auckland) and the work of mana whenua, who have established the matauranga Maori Roundtable and held several hui-a-iwi.

All of this activity is building up to a key date for the project. On 2/3 February next year, the six original Roundtables, supported by the facilitators, the community engagement team and the technical team, will hand over their work – all the information they have compiled and the critical issues and options they have identified – to the Stakeholder Working Group (SWG). The SWG then has from February to June to work through this information, integrate and refine solutions and write the first Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan.

Some Christmas thank yous

Getting to this point in the project has required an immense and sustained effort from a huge number of people, to whom I’d like to extend heartfelt end-of-year thanks. First and foremost, the Stakeholder Working Group, whose 14 members, together with the independent facilitator Kaaren Goodall, have contributed enormous amounts of time and given their all to the task of absorbing and analysing immense amounts of Gulf-related information. To Alan, Alison, Callum, Conall, Dave, Dirk, Jake, Joe, Katrina, Laurie, Lucy, Matt, Raewyn and Tame: your dedication to this project – and to the Hauraki Gulf/Tikapa Moana – is exemplary and very much appreciated. Thank you.

I would also like to acknowledge the 60 or so people from our wider networks who contributed many hours of work as members of the Roundtables. You – together with the facilitators, technical advisors and coordinators who supported your work – were tasked with a technically demanding job and your commitment and dedication has been exceptional. The work of the Roundtables will be a critical factor in the success of this project. Thank you for everything you have done.  We will be staying in touch after the work is handed back to the SWG

The ‘supporting cast’ includes many others: the members of our ‘Hauraki 100+’ groups, those who contributed knowledge through our Listening Posts, events and surveys, the project team from the partner agencies – who support the SWG and provide technical and engagement services – and those involved in mana whenua engagement. Thank you to you all.       

Best wishes for a very relaxing Christmas and New Year. I hope you have some time to spend enjoying the summer sun in, on and around the Hauraki Gulf/Tikapa Moana. There’s nothing like time spent there to remind us why it is such a treasure – and why safeguarding its future is such an important task.       

Merry Christmas and best wishes to all,
Nick Main, Independent Chair, Stakeholder Working Group.

If you love, live, work or play in the Hauraki Gulf/Tikapa Moana, please help shape its future.  

• Click here to go straight to the new survey site for Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari.
• (You can also go to the surveys from our website.)
• Complete a survey on key Gulf issues – there are six surveys to choose from and you can choose to do one, two or all six!
• Every completed survey gives you an entry into a prize draw.

The comments, ideas and feedback you share through these surveys will go directly to the Stakeholder Working Group – the people who are developing the Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan.

This is your chance to add your voice to their work and help plan a vibrant, productive and sustainable future for the Gulf.

How are these surveys different?

Our previous surveys were intentionally quite broad – they were designed to gather your ideas and knowledge and feed them into the work of the Roundtables.

These new surveys go to the next stage: they outline some of the detailed issues and options the Roundtables have identified through their six months of work and ask you for your feedback.    

Your voice is a vital part of our work. Please take the opportunity to have your say into this phase of the Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari process – and encourage friends, family, networks and colleagues to do the same.

And thank you, Cathedral Cove Kayak Tours!

The stunning image used in our survey promotion – a double rainbow over Hahei – has been kindly provided to us by the wonderful folk at Cathedral Cove Kayak Tours. Thanks to Mike Grogan and team for your enthusiasm and support! It would be hard to beat a kayak tour in this seascape: you can check out their tour options on www.seakayaktours.co.nz.  

If you've been reading the NZ Herald this week, you will have seen the start of a series of five feature pieces on Sea Change – Tai Timu Pari. We're delighted the project and the issues facing the Hauraki Gulf/Tikapa Moana are getting such comprehensive coverage. Check out the first three features: water quality, fish stocks and biodiversity and biosecurity.

Radio NZ with Kim Hill

On December 13, broadcaster Kim Hill talked Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari with Nick Main, Independent Chair of the Stakeholder Working Group (listen to the interview here) and NIWA scientist Dr Alison MacDiarmid (listen here).

On November 24-25, the Stakeholder Working Group held its final meeting for 2014 on Rotoroa Island, where extensive conservation and a visitor destination work side by side. The stunning Gulf setting brought the importance of Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari into sharp focus and provided a glorious background for two days of solid work.    

The first morning was devoted to a boat tour around some of the Gulf islands, with commentary from knowledgeable locals. Afternoon presentations on marine protected areas were followed by a second day of robust discussion.

You can, as always, view the presentations given to the SWG on www.seachange.org.nz. 

On 19 and 20 November, the ‘Hauraki 100+’ (key stakeholders who have already given significant time and input to Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari) converged on venues in Thames and Auckland for a project update and working sessions.

In Thames, SWG member Conall Buchanan started the evening by speaking to the challenges of the project, noting that he started ‘unconvinced’ about the process but along the way has been impressed by the dedication and commitment of everyone involved, the value of the collaborative process – and by the sheer amount of hard work being done!

In Auckland, SWG member Matt Ball talked about how the diversity of the SWG is its strength: the makeup of the group – which consists of 14 people with very different backgrounds and approaches – ensures that the issues facing the Hauraki Gulf get looked at from all angles.  

At both events, Hauraki 100+ members broke into groups to have their say into the priority topics identified by the Roundtables. Discussion at the tables was fast and robust – as it always is at these events! – and the input from the Hauraki 100+ members was, as always, invaluable.

Add your voice: do a survey now

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