Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve

Forest and Bird, Volume 21, Issue 3, 1 August 1990, Page 5

Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve

eaaee i with long memories might recall an article in our August 1986 magazine about a marine reserve proposal for the Kermadec Islands. Many Forest and Bird members wrote submissions to the Government supporting the reserve, but so far have seen no reserve gazetted for their efforts. It appears that bureaucratic hiccup0000000 have been responsible for putting the proposal on hold, but now that these have been overcome the way is clear for Conservation Minister Philip Woollaston to announce the reserve. Lying 400-530 nautical miles north-east of New Zealand, the Kermadecs comprise four islands, the largest of which is Raoul Island, approximately the size of Little Barrier Island. Subtropical waters give rise to a unique mix of warm temperature New Zealand and tropical species. Among the attractions are the huge spotted black grouper (up to 1.2 metres in length) and New Zealand's only reef-form-ing corals. Once the marine reserve is gazetted, fishing will be restricted to outside the 12-mile limit. At present there is no commercial fishing in the area. The Kermadecs are also a potential candidate for World Heritage status. The related Lord Howe Island group already has been designated a World Heritage site. However the Kermadecs can boast of a virtually untouched marine ecosystem, unlike Lord Howe Island where the spotted black grouper population has been decimated. 9"