Sea Change

Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari is under full sail and moving rapidly into the next phase of work.

May 2014

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Sea Change

Under full sail

Kia ora,

In every journey, there is a moment where you realise you’re under full sail. This month I looked around and realised Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari has reached that moment.

The establishment phase is behind us and an intense amount of project activity is going on, all of it aimed at securing a healthy, productive and sustainable future for the Hauraki Gulf.

This newsletter updates you on that activity, as well as looking ahead to the next stage of our work. In our SWG progress report, we review the Listening Posts, which are now winding up, as the Stakeholder Working Group (SWG) prepares to move into more focused work through issues-based ‘Roundtables’.

We introduce you to two of the SWG members – Joe Davis and David Kellian – who bring very different skills to the table, but share a long-term vision for improving the gulf – its ecology, its economy and the health and wellbeing of its communities.

Finally we take a brief look at how Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari fared at the Hutchwilco Boat Show in Auckland.

To the many people who signed up to our newsletter at the boat show – welcome, and thanks! We’re delighted to have you on board as we work towards safeguarding the gulf as a healthy, productive and sustainable resource for all users.

We're also delighted to have connected with many of the schoolchildren who came through the Boat Show, including Dudley, Ethan, Levi and Sam – the enthusiastic bunch from Kohia Terrace School in Epsom pictured below. Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari will ultimately inform how the Hauraki Gulf is shared, used and stewarded for future generations, so it was fantastic to see young Kiwis so interested in the project.

It’s vital that everyone who values the Hauraki Gulf has a chance to know about this project, so please, encourage friends, family and colleagues to stay in the loop by signing up for these monthly updates.

Best wishes to all,
Nick Main, Stakeholder Working Group Independent Chair.

SWG progress report

Listening Posts
Throughout the summer of 2013/14, Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari undertook a series of ‘Listening Posts’ around the Hauraki Gulf – with particular emphasis placed on connecting with people in small, rarely consulted groups and communities.

“People in these communities have intimate knowledge of the Gulf, its resources and how the marine space works,” said Kaaren Goodall, who facilitated many of the Listening Posts on behalf of the Stakeholder Working Group. “We wanted to make sure their knowledge and ideas were captured very early in the Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari process and used to inform our ongoing work.”

The two-hour Listening Post meetings were designed to provide a snapshot of values and concerns: to hear in people’s own words the way they use the Gulf, their activities on the Gulf, how they value the Gulf, what their aspirations for the Gulf might be.

As the map the the right indicates, Listening Posts are now almost complete. (Red squares indicate completed Listening Posts; other colours are 'in progress' or 'pending'.) In coming weeks, the comments from the Listening Posts will be collated and analysed, before being provided to the SWG to inform their work. A summary document will be posted to the Sea Change website – so watch this space!

Roundtables
The past few months have been a busy time for the SWG as they have built their knowledge of the opportunities and challenges facing the Gulf.

Following many presentations and requests for information, the SWG has established six issues-based ‘Roundtables’ to break the work of Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari into manageable pieces.

Each Roundtable comprises three or more SWG members, plus other invited participants who have specific knowledge or expertise in the topics under discussion. This approach is designed to help the SWG with its information gathering and forms a broader platform for collaboration and knowledge sharing. Roundtable findings will all feed back into the SWG – and eventually inform the creation of the marine spatial plan. This approach is designed to allow us to complete two years’ worth of work in about six months.

Over coming months, you will be able to follow the progress of the Roundtables on the website.

Winner announced

Congratulations to Hayley Flitchett, who was the lucky winner of the Hauraki Gulf Use and Values Survey prize draw. Hayley won a Waiheke Island Explorer Tour family pass for two adults and two children, courtesy of sponsors Fullers. (Thanks guys!)

The survey closed on 21 April. Data from the survey is now being analysed and compiled into a report, which will be presented to the SWG and posted on to the website later in 2014.

Meet the SWG: David and Joe

The 14 members of the Stakeholder Working Group – or SWG – have the job of managing the ‘outside in’ collaboration model that is the basis of the Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari project. SWG members come from a wide range of backgrounds and bring with them a wealth of skills and experience. In each issue of this newsletter, we’ll introduce you to some of the SWG members. This month, meet fisherman and seabird saviour David Kellian; and mechanical engineer and mana whenua representative Joe Davis.

Joe Davis

My name is Joe Davis and I live at Wharekaho Beach with my partner Te Awhi and our three children. My role is kaitiaki at our turangawaewae at Wharekaho, Te Whanganui O Hei, Whitianga. My Iwi are Ngati Hei, Marutuahu and Ngati Hine.

My background is mechanical engineering UTS Sydney but my calling has been here at home for the last 15 years. Being an Iwi representative covers a plethora of tribal duties and responsibilities culturally, ecologically and economically.

The Hauraki tribes have been plying the gulf and eastern seaboard for centuries. Amidst new and contemporary challenges, my role on the SWG is to ensure that the Mauri of our gulf, harbours, rivers and streams is to be protected for us all for the ensuing centuries to come.

I had been approached and entrusted to represent mana whenua from the Tamaki and Hauraki regions. I am honoured.

Kei raro te taumarumaru a Moehau ko Hauraki
Titiro ki te Maunga teitei a Te Aroha
Tikapa moana tenei taha
Te Moananui-a-Toi tera taha
Ki uta ki tai
Hui e Taiki e!

David Kellian

Dave Kellian grew up on Great Barrier Island and made an early decision to adopt the life of a commercial fisherman. After getting his start fishing with his father, he worked for legendary Hauraki Gulf fisherman Merv Strongman before setting out on his own.

Over his 30-year career, Dave has fished in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa using a wide range of fishing techniques. He currently skippers his own 20m vessel, longlining for southern bluefin, bigeye and yellowfin tuna.

In the 1970s, Dave became an early advocate of selling fresh fish into the Japanese market – but he was also concerned about the effect commercial fishing practices were having on the environment, particularly on seabirds.

Through his involvement with Southern Seabird Solutions and his own design and development work on seabird mitigation solutions, Dave has been at the forefront of initiatives designed to reduce the number of albatrosses and petrels being caught by longliners.

Dave received a NZ Green Ribbon Award for outstanding leadership in the field of conservation and the environment in 2004.

The Hutchwilco Boat Show

It was a boatie’s paradise in Auckland from 15-18 May, as hundreds of exhibitors showcased the latest and greatest fishing, boating and dive gear at the Hutchwilco Boat Show. Around 30,000 visitors were expected to make their way around the show during its four open days.

The Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari team was there too, with plenty of information about the project on hand – and a stash of chocolate fish ready to reward anyone who signed up to this newsletter!

As expected, our team had a lot of animated conversations with some of the 30,000 people who came through the show. While many people challenged us on what we’re doing, one thing was clear: everyone who uses the Gulf wants the best for its future. That’s what we’re all about, so we valued every conversation and comment – positive, negative or ‘yet to be convinced’.

Thank you to all those who took the time to talk with us, take away a brochure or factsheet, make a video comment, place a heart on their favourite place on our giant maps of the Hauraki Gulf and of course sign up to this newsletter. We’re delighted you’re in the loop and look forward to presenting you with opportunities to have your say on Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari in coming months.

Did you know?

You can track the SWG’s progress through meeting notes posted on the website. We also publish the presentations and supporting papers we have used to inform our work. Please feel free to share your views with us as we continue to build our knowledge – we are very much in ‘listening mode’ and want to hear from you. You can email us via contact@seachange.org.nz. We look forward to hearing from you.

In partnership with mana whenua and the following agencies: