Push for new coast watchdog

A powerful new body that could oversee "no-build" areas near beaches and rules covering seabed mining and trawling has been proposed as part of a shake-up of environmental watchdogs.

Environment Minister Nick Smith is considering a recommendation by an environmental policy group to establish a Coastal Commission to better protect the beaches and waters in New Zealand's 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone and beyond.

Environmental not-for-profit the Environmental Defence Society - which released the report last night - said ad-hoc local rules were not protecting beaches from urban sprawl.

Report author Raewyn Peart added that apart from fisheries law there were no environmental rules governing the exclusive economic zone, where seabed mining was in big demand.

Ms Peart wants the Government to add a powerful new coastal board to its planned new Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

The authority is limited to processing consents for major new development projects, but Government policy advisers have suggested it could take over regulatory functions from the Ministry for the Environment and even replace regional councils.

Dr Smith has said he supports giving many of the ministry's technical jobs to the EPA and refocusing the Ministry as a small, Wellington-based policy unit.

The society also wants stronger national rules saying what local councils can and cannot allow in the coastal environment. Ms Peart said that could include marking beaches that were so outstanding they could never be developed.