February 13, 2024
Iwi welcomes kina barren action
Northland’s Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust is welcoming the order from Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones for officials to prioritise action on kina.
Out-of-control kina populations are stripping marine plants in many coatal habitats, creatign what are known as kina barrens.
Trust chief executive Nicola McDonald, says successive governments have failed to get on top of the problem, incldung adressing the over-fishing which is a key cause..
“A lot of our kina barrens come about as a result of predator species such as rock lobster and snapper no longer in that eco-system, because they’ve been fished out. And so kinas form huge socieities and eating off the rocks and moss, and algae – its not good,” she say.
Ms McDonald says the Government must start by urgently passing the Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Bill – which adds extra protections to areas within the huge Hauraki Gulf Marine Park – and that also includes endangered waters within Ngati Manuhiri’s boundaries.