Join us in asking the New Zealand Government to establish more Marine Reserves to protect at least 30% of New Zealand’s oceans by 2030.
Petition link: Commit to establishing 30% of New Zealand’s oceans as Marine Reserves* by 2030
New Zealand’s ocean is a global hotspot of marine biodiversity. Our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) covers 4.2 million square kilometres of ocean— that’s 15 times more than our total land area! Yet, we currently protect less than 1% of our ocean from industrial extraction.
Our seas are home to tens of thousands of species of fish, invertebrates, birds, marine mammals, and algae. Many of these species are found nowhere else in the world, including the Hector’s and Maui dolphins, Blackfoot paua, and New Zealand’s black corals, to name a few. Our ocean also provides us with food and oxygen. Every second breath we take is possible because of our ocean.
In 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature called for a global goal of 30% protection of the world’s oceans in Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030. We want to see New Zealand’s government do their part to meet this global goal.
Pollution, overfishing, destructive fishing methods, and other extractive activities place dangerous pressures on our oceans, and these effects are only compounded by climate change. Establishing a robust network of marine reserves is one of the most important things we can do to mitigate these threats and protect our oceans in New Zealand.
We are all stewards of our marine environment, and how we treat our environment now will shape the world we are living in tomorrow; the health of our seas is intertwined with our future.
Petition link: Commit to establishing 30% of New Zealand’s oceans as Marine Reserves* by 2030