Ngā Meneti
Open Minutes
Commencing: Monday 30 November 2020, 9.30 am
Venue: Board Room, Whakatōhea Maori Trust Board, 122 Saint John Street, Ōpōtiki
Heamana
Chairperson: Cr Toi Kai Rākau Iti (Bay of Plenty Regional Council)
Heamana Tuarua
Deputy Chairperson: Mayor Lyn Riesterer (Ōpōtiki District Council)
Ngā Kopounga
Members: Cr Bill Clark – Alternate, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Charlie Bluett - Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, Deputy Mayor Andrew Iles - Whakatāne District Council, Trevor Ransfield - Te Upokorehe, Cr Debi Hocart – Alternate, Ōpōtiki District Council, Josie Mortensen - Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board
Te Hunga i Tae Ake
In Attendance: Pim de Monchy – Coastal Catchments Manager, Tim Senior – Land Management Office (Eastern), Lisa Bevan – Environmental Data Officer, Amanda Namana – Committee Advisor, all presenters – as listed in the minutes
Ngā Hōnea
Apologies: Tuwhakairiora O'Brien – Alternate, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa
1. Karakia
Whakatuwhera
Opening Karakia
A karakia was provided by Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board Chairman Robert Edwards.
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Whakatōhea update from Danny Paruru Presentation - Tracing the connections of kuku in Te Moana-a-Toi: Objective ID A3691705 ⇨ |
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Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board Iwi Development Projects Manager Danny Paruru provided an update to the Forum. Key Points: · One outcome the Moana Project hoped to achieve was to have better forecasting for what the sea environment would be doing in the future · Part of current research was looking at the connectivity, the whakapapa of the mussels across the Bay of Plenty · Despite mussels being collected from rocks at Motiti Island only three years ago, there were none found there now and it was important to try and understand the reasons for this · The target was to collect mussels from each location before the end of 2020 for sampling and the data to be analysed at Victoria University by April 2021 · The information this provided would be valuable to everyone, particularly in relation to mussels but also as an insight into what was happening in the environment in general. In Response to Questions: · Working with universities and their specialists in different fields potentially led to additional projects to assist other iwi with issues that had been identified · It was hoped that more information would be gained through this project about why some rocks recruited and others did not · There was a theory that some mussel spat returned to where they came from · The project was also specifically focussed on climate change and there were oceanographers determining if the flow of the water would change due to heat increase · Effects on mussels from marine heatwaves in recent years had already been noted and learning how this would impact mussels into the future was important.
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· The Forum requested an update on the project at a 2021 meeting once the results from the data collected was available. |
2. Ngā Hōnea
Apologies
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That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum: 1 Accepts the apology from Tuwhakairiora O'Brien – Alternate, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa tendered at the meeting. CARRIED |
3. Whakapuakanga
o Ngā Take Whai Taha-Rua
Declaration of Conflicts of Interest
Nil
Ngā
Meneti a Ngā Komiti
Minutes to be Confirmed
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Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum Minutes - 22 June 2020 |
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That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum: 1 Confirms the minutes, Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum Minutes - 22 June 2020 as a true and correct record. CARRIED |
5. Whakahoutanga
Kōrero
Verbal Updates
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Chairperson's Report Chair Cr Toi Kai Rākau Iti provided a verbal update to the Forum. |
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· Outlined the process, timeline and content of the Consultation Document for Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s (BOPRC) Long Term Plan (LTP) o Increasing investment in Care Groups was a key consideration o BOPRC had the largest number of iwi and hapū to engage with in the country and there were several initiatives underway to improve engagement methods and enhance participation.
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· Staff to arrange a Workshop early to mid-February 2021 to develop submissions from the Forum to LTP’s. Staff members from each council to provide an overview of the components of each LTP relevant to Ōhiwa Harbour and members to provide contents of submission points. A nominated planner to collate these into draft submission documents for approval of the Forum at the next meeting on 11 March 2021. |
Hei
Pānui Anake
Information Only
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2020 Interim Report for the State of Environment Ōhiwa Harbour Presentation - Interim Report for the State of the Environment Ōhiwa Harbour: Objective ID A3691713 ⇨ Environmental Data Officer Lisa Bevan presented this item, supported by Coastal Catchments Manager Pim de Monchy and Land Management Officer (Eastern) Tim Senior. Key Points: · Several wading birds had reached record highs in Ōhiwa o Royal Spoonbills had 52 individuals in Ōhiwa Harbour at present and had only been recorded here since 2010 o White Heron were rare and had recently been sighted visiting the eastern side of the harbour, there were only an estimated 150-200 individuals in New Zealand o Dotterels were vulnerable to many factors as they nested in the sand, causing susceptibility to the elements, high tides and predators. They were closely monitored by the Department of Conservation · Erosion on Whangapikopiko - Tern Island was being attributed to lower numbers of dotterels nesting there · Black swan numbers continued to increase and damage to sea grass meadows was estimated at a loss of 0.25 hectares per year · Presently the swans were not having an extreme adverse effect on the seagrass but more data was required to establish if significant damage would occur if numbers increased · Reduction of water quality was largely due to land use practises · Long-term trend showed phosphorous levels had lowered significantly since 1990 but were still above recommended guidelines. Noted that soils in the Nukuhou catchment were naturally elevated in phosphorous · The results of the marshbird survey would be available in 2021 which studied rare birds that live around salt marsh and mangroves. In Response to Questions: · Ammonia levels fluctuated between A and B bands and could be mitigated by measures such as riparian planting · Dissolved oxygen was solely point samples, therefore difficult to determine a trend · Original loss shown of indigenous forest was due to a mapping error and there had in fact been no true loss · Due to the low human population in the Nukuhou catchment, faecal contamination was most likely caused by livestock · The latest version of the essential freshwater package put more pressure on councils and communities to aim higher with water quality than previous versions · Outlined the process and timelines for Plan Changes to the Forum. |
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That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum: 1 Receives the report, 2020 Interim Report for the State of Environment Ōhiwa Harbour. CARRIED |
10.47 am – The meeting adjourned.
11.04 am – The meeting reconvened.
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Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency regional and project update Presentation - Waka Kotahi NZTA SH2 Upgrade: Objective ID A3691708 ⇨ Director Regional Relationships Steve Mutton and Senior Project Manager Malcolme Flattery, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency presented this item. Key Points: · The Government Policy Statement (GPS) and the National Land Transport Plan (NLTP) occurred in three year blocks · Outlined State Highway 2 (SH2) Wainui Road to Ōpōtiki safety improvements and the SH2 Ōpōtiki district speed reviews · Approximately $6B per annum revenue came from fuel tax and approximately $5B from road user charges so the effects of Covid-19 lockdown on Waka Kotahi revenue were significant, with the impact on travel patterns potentially continuing for the next few years · Maintenance was important in the long term from a commercial perspective but was also crucial to ensuring the roads remain safe · Performing maintenance work had to happen in the summer months with warm and dry conditions in order to keep the water out of the roads. In Response to Questions: · State Highway 2 Waimana gorge potholes were likely caused by heavy vehicle traffic · Focussing on maintenance and preservation of the roads was about spending the right money in right place at right time · Measures taken to make the roads safer included dividing the traffic, providing skid resistance, widening the roads, policing and education · Identifying where to spend money to save the most lives and reduce serious injuries was where priorities lay for funding expenditure. |
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That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum: 1 Receives the report, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency regional and project update. CARRIED |
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Summary report for WDC contract 21-012 and WDC 21-019: Wainui Road safety improvements; packages 1 and 2 Presentation - WDC Wainui Road Safety Upgrade: Objective ID A3691707 ⇨ Whakatāne District Council Roading Manager Martin Taylor and WSP Design Team Project Manager Caleb Moniker presented this item. Key Points: · More traffic used Wainui Road and Thornton Road rather than the State Highway, in terms of numbers of vehicles and this was where most collisions occurred, which was where the improvements were targeted · Outlined the Safe Roads Alliance projects and outcomes · Work carried out from Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) funding included clearing of wilding pines and other feral vegetation and creating right turn bays at Stanley Road and Harrison Road · One new project involved widening the road on both sides by 1.5 metres from Tauwhare Pā to Burma Road · There were further opportunities for improvements in local cycle routes, including a cycle trail around the Wainui Road harbour margins. Key Points - Members: · Suggested discussing the potential harbour cycle trail at the Workshop in February as part of Long Term Plan submissions. In Response to Questions: · Several years ago work had been undertaken around this cycle trail and the cost at that time was estimated at $1M. |
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That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum: 1 Summary report for WDC contract 21-012 and WDC 21-019: Wainui Road safety improvements; packages 1 and 2. CARRIED |
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Update on the Ōhiwa Harbour mussel research - Awhi Mai Awhi Atu, Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge project, November 2020 Presentation - Awhi Mai Awhi Atu - Mussel Restoration Update: Objective ID A3692873 ⇨ Waikato University Associate Professor Dr Kura Paul-Burke provided an update to the Forum on progress with the Awhi Mai Awhi Atu project. Key Points: · There were now three new early stage mussel beds in the harbour · These new beds were in close proximity to the mussel restoration stations, supporting the theory that the restoration stations were assisting mussels growing on the bottom · Rather than harvesting traditional material such as live harakeke to create the spat lines, bio waste was being used from dead and discarded tī kōuka (cabbage tree) leaves. Lines woven from these leaves had a better fibrous quality and lasted longer but would break down at the join so a supplejack ‘back bone’ was added to reinforce them. Traditional materials such and neinei and pingao were being blended with these and used in new and different ways to trial which spat lines lasted longer and yielded more mussels · Deployment of the lines had occurred in cohesion with the Tangaroa phase of the Maramataka and the ecological spawning phases of mussels · The sea star application for funding from the Innovation Fund was successful and the two year project would commence in 2021 – the $250,000 would go solely into science to look at options for bioactives and collagen products from sea stars removed from the harbour · The purpose of this work was a circular kaitiakitanga approach for Ōhiwa and included a zero waste philosophy for resources (potentially fertiliser and bait) · Over time it had been noted that sea star growth correlated with mussel growth · PhD Student Megan Ranapia was now focussing her work on researching sea stars · Sea star mapping would be undertaken, not just the mussel beds but of the entire harbour. In Response to Questions: · In 2007 there were approximately 112 million mussels in a bed along the western side of the harbour · It had been noted in an earlier study that there were higher sea star populations near where humans dwell · Across the whole country, people were trying to restore mussels to their estuaries and harbours with varying degrees of success. |
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That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum: 1 Receives the report, Update on the Ōhiwa Harbour mussel research - Awhi Mai Awhi Atu, Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge project, November 2020. CARRIED |
12.05 pm – Deputy Mayor Andrew Iles withdrew from the meeting.
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Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy annual work programme report for the year ending June 2020 and an update to October 2020 Presentation - Annual Work Programme: Objective ID A3691706 ⇨ Land Management Officer (Eastern) Tim Senior presented this item, supported by Coastal Catchments Manager Pim de Monchy. Key Points: · Provided photographs of ideal riparian planting, which was expensive and took up a lot of paddock space. Outlined other options: o Shrub willows which adhered to banks well and only grew to 4-5 metres o Planting grasses as a compromise that created a barrier for nutrients entering streams from paddocks · Care group work was aligned with high priority biodiversity sites · Draft signs had been created to build awareness of the Asian Paddle Crab situation in the harbour and staff were awaiting two further photos of native crabs for comparison purposes before they could be installed · There was to be a karakia by Te Upokorehe at 10 am on Wednesday 2 December 2020 at the Ōhiwa boat ramp to bless the works of installing the five new panels for the Heritage Trail · Vehicles were now prohibited along Ōhiwa spit and signage was to be erected. Bollards had been installed at Ōhope spit to prevent four wheel drive vehicles, an approach which appeared successful. In Response to Questions: · In the Nukuhou catchment almost all streams were privately managed, with a small percentage managed by the Department of Conservation · The interface between the management of drains and the water bodies that they feed into were under scope for freshwater farm plans under the National Policy Statement (NPS) and the National Environmental Standards (NES) · The timelines for freshwater farm plans had not been decided and it was unlikely to be compulsory in the Bay of Plenty catchments first as water quality issues were not as acute as some other regions. However, when the Regional Natural Resources Plan (RNRP) changed in the 2023/24 period , councils had the discretion to consider whether they wished to impose this requirement on catchments themselves. |
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· A second Workshop requested on the following topics: o Discussion on BOPRC requiring freshwater farm plans in the Nukuhou catchment for the health of the Ōhiwa Harbour o Flag to BOPRC Water Policy team that Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum also request kōrero around water policy, changes in freshwater management, plan changes and options. |
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That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum: 1 Receives the report, Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy annual work programme report for the year ending June 2020 and an update to October 2020. CARRIED |
7. Karakia
Kati
Closing Karakia
A karakia was provided by Charlie Bluiett.
12.33 pm – the meeting closed.
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Chairperson, Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum