The Whangamata Bar, aka the Whanga Bar, yet another World Class surf spot, is now possibly on the verge of destruction with the recent approval of an application for a project to house a 205 berth marina. Thousands of surfers use the area for recreational purposes and the local Iwi, or Maori tribe, also opposes the marina because of fears that traditional food-gathering areas will be lost. The estuary is also a part of the Maori's heritage where archeological artifacts may be unearthed during construction.
The marina's site is on the sea bed of the Moanaanuanu Estuary of the Whangamata harbor. The estuary is home to many species of fish, shellfish, seabirds, mangroves, salt-marshes, and the natural sand bar. This area is one of the few parts of coastline left undeveloped in the North Island. The proposed marina monstrosity is designed to hold a select 205 berths which will expand over 4 hectares of coastal marine zone, 300 meters of breakwater structures will be constructed, and 167,000 cubic meters of dredging will occur for both the marina basin and the channel. The dredged sand will be dumped atop a natural salt-marsh covering 1.4 hectares. All to be heavily impacted for the sake of 205 boat owners.
Minister of Conservation Hon. Chris Carter rejected the Marina application, but the High Court of Appeal sent it back for re-review. In October 2006, Carter assigned the Marina application to Minister of Environment Hon Benson Pope.
Shortly thereafter, on Wednesday, November 22, 2006, Benson Pope met with the Parliament of New Zealand and responded to inquiries of five (5) Members of Parliament (Nick Smith of the National Party, Sandra Goudie of the National Party, Peter Brown of the NZ First Party, Michael Cullen of the Labour Party and Doug Woolerton of the NZ First Party) who demanded from Benson-Pope an answer to (not if), but when the Marina would be approved. See, Item 5: Whangamata Marina on the agenda (for the transcripts of the questioning lead by Nick Smith). Unfortunately, Parliament member Nick Smith has not embraced surfer concerns. Visit, New Zealand Surfbreak (for a display of Smith’s posture toward the surfers’ concerns).
Subsequent to this Parliamentary visit, Hon. Benson-Pope issued an approval decision of the Marina’s application in December 2006. This decision is seen by many as disastrous to the Whangamata people and a recipe for destruction.
The decision was made in disregard of the New Zealand Resource Management Act (RMA) wherein the “social, economic, aesthetic, and cultural conditions which affect the [environment and people],” must be considered. In this case, beach enthusiasts are not being considered because the Decision on the Application does not require the contractors to present any scientific information on how the changes to morphology of the harbour (due to the construction of the marina) will impact the bar formations at the harbour entrance. Please click on Help Save the Waves and send our pre-formatted letter opposing this project today.
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