BEACH MANAGEMENT PLAN
Beach Management Plan for Ninety Mile Beach
The Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe Board was tasked with preparing a plan to help manage the beach. It is a requirement of the Te Hiku o Te Ika iwi Treaty of Waitangi settlement legislation.
The Beach Management Plan provides governance and direction to those who have a role in or responsibility for Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe.
What is the purpose of the Beach Management Plan?
The purpose of the Beach Management Plan is to -
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identify the vision, objectives, and desired outcomes for the Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe management area; and
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provide direction to persons authorised to make decisions in relation to the Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe management area; and
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express the Board’s aspirations for the care and management of the Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe management area, in particular, in relation to the following matters (priority matters):
i. protecting and preserving the Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe management area from inappropriate use and development and ensuring that the resources of the Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe management area are preserved and enhanced for present and future generations; and
ii. recognising the importance of the resources of the Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe management area for Te Hiku o Te Ika iwi and ensuring the continuing access of Te Hiku o Te Ika iwi to their mahinga kai; and
iii. recognising and providing for the spiritual, cultural, and historical relationship of Te Hiku o Te Ika iwi with the Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe management area.
(This purpose comes directly from the Te Hiku o Te Ika iwi Treaty of Waitangi settlement legislation -see for example Section 74, Ngāti Kuri Claims Settlement Act 2015).
What does the Beach Management Plan cover?
The legislation allows for the Beach Management Plan to address any matter relating to the care and management of the Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe management area.
What is the legal status of the Beach Management Plan?
The Beach Management Plan does not have direct legal impact – so (for example) it cannot include rules.
The main way the Beach Management Plan will be implemented is through the Regional Plan.
The Regional Plan must “recognise and provide for” the Beach Management Plan which means it must implement in the Regional Plan unless there is very good reason not to.
The Regional Plan can include rules for activities like the use of vehicles on the beach, and marine farming and dredging in the sea.
The Beach Management Plan has no influence on decisions about fishing quotas or rights to harvest fish and shellfish.
What area does the Beach Management Plan apply to?
The Beach Management Plan covers the length of the beach, some narrow reserve areas on land running along next to the beach, and the sea out to 12 nautical miles.
Beach Management Plan Management Area and Reserves
Te Mahere mo Te Oneroa-a-Tōhe