Move to beef up Kapiti Marine Reserve protection

GOLDEN TRIANGLE: Reestablising a Kapiti Marine Reserve committee, beefing up marine reserve monitoring, and creating a recreational reserve by the marine reserve have been suggested.

A grass roots community initiative is underway to try and reestablish a Kapiti Marine Reserve committee as well as beef up monitoring of the reserve.

And an idea to create a recreational reserve on the sides of the marine reserve has been mooted.

The conversation has been kickstarted via a Facebook page called Guardians of the Kapiti Island Marine Reserve which is "a forum for those who wish to be involved in or have a say about the management of the Kapiti Island Marine Reserve and surrounding sea area".

Karl Webber, who lives on Motungarara Island, which is a small island off Kapiti Island, said the marine reserve had been operational since 1992 but over time a reserve committee had disbanded, and monitoring of the reserve [via DOC] wasn't ideal.

Kapiti Marine Reserve, which prohibits commercial and recreational fishing, is located between Paraparaumu and Waikanae beaches and Kapiti Island.

Mr Webber has suggested establishing a recreational reserve on each side of the marine reserve - from the south end of Kapiti Island to Pukerua Bay - and the north end of Kapiti Island to Otaki.

The recreational reserve would prohibit bulk commercial fishers, specially fishing trawlers and long liners, but could allow for some operations such as crab and sea cucumber gathering, he suggested.

Mr Webber said observations over about the last 10 years had included seeing trawlers going back and forth to the marine reserve, mass dumping of fish at least once a year, trawlers going through the marine reserve with nets in the water, trawler lights at night suddenly going off and then on.

Establishing a recreational reserve would mean "no need for commercial boats to come through here [Rauoterangi Channel], except to anchor".

"From a commercial perspective, how much would this disadvantage commercial trawlers and long liners?

"Will it?

"It's only a small area for them.

"These guys fish huge areas, but this is just in sheltered waters."

Mr Webber said it was "early days" in the marine reserve and recreational reserve discussion.

"We're just keen to get people involved in the conversation including commercial fishermen."

He felt the initiatives would be "awesome for Kapiti".

"We've got this new community happening and we're getting these new out-of-towners coming in."