Sugar Loaf Islands — Marine Park Under Threat

Forest and Bird, Volume 20, Issue 3, 1 August 1989, Page 4

Sugar Loaf Islands — Marine Park Under Threat

T. Wilson

N ew Zealand has a complex and extensive coastline, of which only a tiny proportion has been protected from exploitation. In the late 1970s a group of Taranaki locals began promoting the idea of a marine park at the Sugar Loaf Islands, to preserve and enhance the area for other recreational users. After many years of negotiating with clubs and groups who use the area and frustration with a legislative system not capable of providing the type of legal protection envisaged by its promoters, the Sugar Loaf Islands Marine Park was formally opened in 1986. It covers 8 km? of ocean adjacent to New Plymouth city and includes islands and reefs formed nearly 2 million years ago during the province's earliest volcanic phase. Being the only protected area of marine life south of Auckland and on the doorstep of a busy city and port, it appeals to a large number of people. The inshore beach forming part of the eastern boundary is one of the province's leading surf beaches. The spectacular undersea geology entices equally fascinating marine creatures into its system of caves,

canyons and pinnacles — a treat for scuba divers — while many folk enjoy a tranquil stroll along the sandy beach, a breath of salty air and watching the sun setting into the ocean. Moturoa and Saddleback Islands are home to New Zealand’s northernmost colony of fur seals while the combination of a food-rich ocean and rodent-free islands encourages many thousands of oceanic birds to nest in the area. Grey-faced petrels, fluttering shearwaters and white-faced storm petrels share their neighbourhood with little blue penguins. A threatened native plant, Cook’s scurvy grass, clings precariously to the sides of these rugged islands. However — a marine park is primarily under

the water. Several major ocean currents bring not only nutrients, but also juvenile species into the area. These establish themselves in the diverse underwater terrain — some in deep and quiet canyons, filtering food from the passing current. Others choose to live closer to the surface and daylight. These animals need to be able to withstand a heavy pounding from quite violent Tasman storms. The park wasn't set up as a live museum — it encourages recreational use and.permits limited forms of amateur fishing. The need for local commercial fishers to obtain their kahawai bait from the area was recognised, but otherwise it is exempt from fishing. The rapid population build up of several species — including crayfish and butterfish — has shown this policy to be very effective. Yet just as the fish are returning, the ideals of the area now face the threat of oil exploration, with a proposal from Trans Canada Pipelines Resources Ltd (TCPL) to drill an exploratory well in the midst of the park. It seems incomprehensible that with thousands of kilometres of coast and sea floor to choose from, the "best site’ (from the company’s point of view) is within this protected area. Local opposition to the proposal is intense and widely felt, yet the issue seems to have drawn little comment from outside the province. What future do our existing marine reserves and newer proposed ones have, if it is only the local users who are asked to no longer exploit the area, while large multi-national companies face no restrictions? The Sugar Loaf Marine Park is a nationally important conservation area and should bé preserved on that merit alone. Any precedent set by allowing oil exploration here could spell disaster for other protected areas.