Agenda of Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum

Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum

Membership

Chairperson
Elected by the Forum at its first meeting each Triennium	Cr Toi Kai Rākau Iti (Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana)
Deputy Chairperson	Charlie Bluett (Ngāti Awa)
Council Members
One representative each from:
Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana	Cr Malcom Campbell (Alternate)
Ōpōtiki District Council	Cr Dean Petersen Cr Steve Nelson (Alternate)
Whakatāne District Council	Cr Andrew Iles Cr Nāndor Tanczos (Alternate)
Tangata Whenua Members
One Tangata Whenua appointee representative each from:
Whakatōhea	Karen Mokomoko
Upokorehe	Georgina Kohunui Gaylene Kohunui (Alternate)
Ngāti Awa	Tuwhakairiora O’Brien (Alternate)
Ngāi Tuhoe	Hori Hillman Marewa Titoko (Alternate)
Quorum	Four members, consisting of more than half the number of members
Meeting frequency	Six monthly

Purpose

The Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum is a joint committee to oversee and monitor the implementation of the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy.

Role

The Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

· Is the sponsor of the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy;

· Is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the actions in the Strategy;

· Has an overall monitoring role in terms of timeframes and deliverables;

· Maintains a general awareness of the issues surrounding the Ōhiwa Harbour Catchment; and

· Is responsible for reporting back to the strategic partners and to the community.

The Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum will:

· Receive reports (including those prepared by staff of the three Councils) of what has recently been achieved with regards to implementing the Strategy, and outlining what the next targets for implementation could be;

· Provide a sounding board for officers to test implementation ideas against;

· Provide recommendations that can be reported back to councils; and

· Promote links with the Ōhiwa Harbour Catchment community.

Forum Procedures

· The establishment and the need for and purpose of the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum is subject to review every three years following local authority elections.

· Subject to the Forum being re-appointed, member representatives are appointed by their respective appointing entities.

· The Forum may specifically invite attendance by organisations/groups which they believe will be interested (such as the Department of Conservation, Ministry of Fisheries, Nukuhou Salt Marsh Care Group).

· The meetings will also be publicly advertised so that members of the wider community can also attend.

· The Bay of Plenty Regional Council Standing Orders will apply, except as varied by these Terms of Reference or unless the members of the Forum unanimously agree to vary those standing orders as they apply to the Forum.

· The costs of meeting attendance lie where they fall. The exception to this is that a standard meeting fee will be provided for Tangata Whenua representation by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

· The actions to give effect to the strategy itself and costs associated with reporting to the Forum are funded from within the budgets of participating councils.

Power to Act

To make all decisions necessary to fulfil the role and scope of the Forum subject to the limitations imposed.

The Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum has no delegated authority for financial expenditure.

Power to Recommend

The Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum recommends and reports back to the respective organisations.

Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum Minutes

12 October 2023

Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum

Ngā Meneti

Open Minutes

Commencing: Thursday 12 October 2023, 9.30 am

Venue: Waimana Kaaku Room, Waimana School, 9 Raroa Road, Waimana

Heamana

Chairperson: Cr Toi Kai Rākau Iti - Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana (BOPRC)

Heamana Tuarua

Deputy Chairperson: Charlie Bluett - Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa

Ngā Kopounga

Members: Marewa Titoko – Alternate, Waimana Kaaku, Charlie Bluett – Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, Karen Mokomoko - Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board, Gaylene Kohunui – Alternate, Te Upokorehe, Tuwhakairiora O'Brien – Alternate, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, Cr Malcolm Campbell – Alternate, BOPRC, Cr Andrew Iles – Whakatāne District Council

Te Hunga i Tae Ake

In Attendance: BOPRC: Pim de Monchy – Coastal Catchments Manager, Tim Senior – Land Management Officer, Dr Josie Crawshaw – Environmental Scientist, Gemma Moleta – Senior Planner (Water Policy), Amanda Namana – Committee Advisor

External: Kelly Hughes – ATS Environmental, Professor Kura Paul-Burke – University of Waikato, Joe Burke – MUSA Environmental

Ngā Hōnea

Apologies: Cr Nándor Tánczos – Alternate, Whakatāne District Council, Cr Dean Petersen – Ōpōtiki District Council and Georgina Kohunui – Te Upokorehe

1. Karakia Whakatuwhera
Opening Karakia

A karakia was provided by Paaku Titoko.

2. Ngā Hōnea
Apologies

Resolved

That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

1 Accepts the apologies from Cr Tánczos, Cr Petersen and Georgina Kohunui tendered at the meeting.

Iles/Iti

CARRIED

3. Whakapuakanga o Ngā Take Whai Taha-Rua
Declaration of Conflicts of Interest

None declared.

4. Ngā Meneti
Minutes

Kia Whakaūngia Ngā Meneti
Minutes to be Confirmed

4.1

Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum Minutes - 14 March 2023

Resolved

That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

1 Confirms the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum Minutes - 14 March 2023 as a true and correct record, subject to the following amendments:

· Correct the spelling of Upokorehe member Georgina’s surname to ‘Kohunui’.

Bluett/Iles

CARRIED

5. Whakahoutanga Kōrero
Verbal Updates

5.1

Update from Chair/Host

· Waimana Kaaku host Marewa Titoko welcomed everyone and provided an overview of current projects and matters of interest:

o Te Waimana Kaaku Tribal Authority was currently undergoing a review to ensure the structure reflected the people it represented

o Providing support to farmers and whānau in the Nukuhou Catchment and for gravel extraction from the Tauranga River.

· Chair Cr Toi Kai Rākau Iti provided an update on BOPRC matters including the Long Term Plan (LTP) process, and encouraged the Forum to make a submission to ensure momentum was not lost on Ōhiwa Harbour progress to date.

6. Ngā Pūrongo
Reports

Hei Pānui Anake
Information Only

6.1

Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy annual work programme results

Presentation: Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy Annual Work Programme: Objective ID A4512190

Presented by: Tim Senior – Land Management Officer

Key Points:

· Highlighted the work that the Coastal Catchments team had completed over the past year with landowners in the catchment

· A river engineer had been engaged to look at options for a solution to Nukuhou River bank erosion issues. One suggestion was to install a series of small, low structures in the river bed to trap sediment coming downstream

· Navigational Safety Bylaw Review consultation had been delayed and was now open – encouraged everyone to engage in this

· Although vehicles were banned from the campground to the end of Ōhiwa Spit through a bylaw, it had made little difference to the ongoing issue.

Key Points - Members:

· Disappointed that cancellation of the Navigational Safety Bylaw Review consultation meetings had not been sufficiently notified to attendees

· Late January 2024 would likely be the best time to schedule the next Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy Group (OHSG) hui.

In Response to Questions:

· Planting the riverbanks was part of the solution, which was already underway and would continue. However, the bulk of the solution needed to be more substantial, e.g. the small weir-like structures mentioned which would reduce the river downcutting but came at a cost

· The care group not directly supported by BOPRC was the Ōhiwa Headland Sanctuary Trust which was funded by Jobs for Nature

· The use of jet skis for the harvesting of pipi was of major concern due to the lack of resource to monitor take.

Resolved

That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

1 Receives the report, Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy annual work programme results.

Kohunui/Titoko

CARRIED

6.2

Blue carbon building blocks - Saltmarsh restoration

Presentation: Blue Carbon - An introduction to unlocking the potential in the region through saltmarsh restoration: Objective ID A4512188

Presented by: Dr Josie Crawshaw – Environmental Scientist

Key Points:

· Blue carbon considered marine and coastal ecosystems with the potential to remove carbon and provide benefits for reducing the impacts of climate change, including a suite of additional benefits

· The three main blue carbon ecosystems were mangroves, saltmarshes and seagrasses. These ecosystems could lock away carbon for centuries and it was hoped that they could keep up with sea level rise (SLR) and continue to be a long-term store

· There was limited information available about seagrass habitats at this stage

· Approximately 60% of saltmarsh had been lost across the region and the land management team were working on significant restoration programmes

· Outlined some potential scenarios for SLR and the specific impacts this could have on Ōhiwa

· There was currently a limited understanding of carbon storage in New Zealand saltmarshes and how much our ecosystems could sequester, so BOPRC staff were working with partners to undertake carbon coring in existing habitats to learn more.

Key Points – Pim de Monchy, Coastal Catchments Manager:

· BOPRC had recently purchased a dairy farm at Pukehina, the majority of which would be on sold to the neighbouring property and 32 hectares retained with an iwi collective. A combination of treatment wetlands were being designed and two-thirds of the remaining land would be restored to saltmarsh. This project had many benefits including cultural, water quality, biodiversity and mahinga kai. This type of project could potentially be emulated elsewhere in the region - members expressed interest in a site visit to view the project.

In Response to Questions:

· Landowners creating drainage schemes in order to use lowlands for pasture was the primary driver for the original loss of saltmarsh habitat.

Resolved

That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

1 Receives the report, Blue carbon building blocks - Saltmarsh restoration.

Iles/Bluett

CARRIED

10.25 am – the meeting adjourned.

10.45 am – The meeting reconvened.

6.3

Ōhiwa Harbour Fish Barrier Identification and Remediation Report 2023

Tabled Document 1 - Ōhiwa Master Map: Objective ID A4513558

Tabled Document 2 - Ōhiwa barriers remaining 2023: Objective ID A4513559

Tabled Document 3 - Ōhiwa yet to be assessed 2023: Objective ID A4513560

Tabled Document 4 - Ōhiwa Summary: Objective ID A4513562

Tabled Document 5 - Brosnahan: Objective ID A4513564

Tabled Document 6 - Ramp rope after - pt2: Objective ID A4513565

Presented by: Kelly Hughes - Managing Director, ATS Environmental

Key Points:

· Provided a video about a vision of the future for fish passage remediation including:

o Information on new low cost, low risk tools to effect mass remediation of small to medium structures

o Data collection and management processes

o Examples of remediation techniques

· Fish passage was a crucial indication of the connection people had with waterways and taonga species

· Provided a sankey diagram highlighting how many crossing points (with culverts that may present a barrier) had been identified in Ōhiwa

· Displayed information on what had been assessed within Ōhiwa and what was not currently a barrier – more information was available to members on request

· Material cost of the average ‘fish barrier fix’ in Ōhiwa was approximately $180 plus labour

· Highlighted the different fish passage remediation options and how fish were using these.

Key Point – Kura Paul-Burke:

· Work undertaken in Ōhiwa Harbour for the mussel restoration project had involved research around using native fibres for mussel spat lines which could also be used for fish passage – when results were available there was an opportunity to share this information to achieve similar benefits.

Key Points - Members:

· Introduced BOPRC’s Fish Passage Officer Jo Cranswick, who assisted in delivering fish passage projects across the region and was in the early stages of creating a fish passage action plan under the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS-FM). This would include a work programme with remediations. She was also working with the consents team to standardise consent conditions and include fish passage provisions.

In Response to Questions:

· There was a hierarchy of regulations and historical issues which made it difficult to define the level of legal responsibility for landowners to ensure fish passage and enable remediation on their properties

· The ATS team were working with the concrete industry to have their baffles approved to be used in their culverts without voiding the warranty.

Resolved

That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

1 Receives the report, Ōhiwa Harbour Fish Barrier Identification and Remediation Report 2023.

Iles/Mokomoko

CARRIED

6.4

Final mussel restoration report for Awhi Mai Awhi Atu, Sustainable Seas, National Science Challenge project, September 2023

Presentation: Overview Mussel Restoration in Ōhiwa Harbour: Objective ID A4512189

Presented by: Professor Kura Paul-Burke – University of Waikato

Key Points:

· Outlined the history of the Awhi Mai Awhi Atu project and the outcomes achieved:

o In 2007, information was gathered about where mussels were collected from historically, which formed the baseline to overlay the science

o From the original four mussel beds in the harbour, there was just one remaining by 2019, with the western side beds having disappeared. The cause of this was discovered to be the pātangaroa (eleven-armed seastar)

o Micro-plastic pollution was a significant concern for mussels so natural mussel spat lines were produced for successful recruitment and biodiversity outcomes

o Mussel numbers in Ōhiwa had reduced from 112 million in 2007, to just 78,000 in 2019. Through this project, there were three new beds by 2021 and numbers had increased to 745,000. There were now around 16 million mussels in the area where the original beds were

· At present, Ōhiwa Harbour was leading the country in mussel restoration

· A combination of fishing and diving was proven to be the most effective way to manage seastars. A hand cream had been developed as an option for using the removed seastars

· It was discovered that cushion stars also ate baby mussels, which was an important piece of knowledge for restoration efforts

· Highlighted the two potential options available to the Forum for restoration efforts going forward and the three most important factors to focus on:

o Population surveys

o Mussel spat lines and relocation

o Starfish management.

Key Points - Members:

· Expert advice, kaumātua involvement and any other support required should be sought to assist a new care group, if established

· Ngāti Awa had applied for a Section 186A closure of the western side of the harbour under the Fisheries Act 1996 to protect the growing mussel beds and juvenile mussels, including requesting a rāhui of this space in the interim.

In Response to Questions:

· If future restoration efforts focused on one side of the harbour, it was likely the other side would also benefit through flow-on effects and currents

· Care groups assisting with some of the sea star management work was an option e.g. seastar trapping from a boat.

Resolved

That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

1 Receives the report, Final mussel restoration report for Awhi Mai Awhi Atu, Sustainable Seas, National Science Challenge project, September 2023;

2 Supports the considerations identified in this report consistent with the Action Area priorities of the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy, Refreshed 2014;

3 Agrees to establish a Working Group to investigate funding opportunities for options to continue with mussel restoration, monitoring and seastar removal, with a focus on a whole harbour approach.

Bluett/Mokomoko

CARRIED

6.5

Essential Freshwater Policy Programme Update

Presentation: Essential Freshwater Policy Programme Update: Objective ID A4512187

Presented by: Gemma Moleta – Senior Planner (Water Policy)

Key Points:

· Chair Cr Iti introduced the paper and acknowledged the size of this kaupapa, the work undertaken in the programme around Te Mana o Te Wai, the hierarchy and provisions for Te Ao Māori and Te Tiriti o Waitangi

· Significant feedback had been received at community events, including water quality concerns (mainly around E.coli and sediment), questioning whether swimming values were truly present in the freshwater areas of the Ōhiwa Harbour Freshwater Management Unit (FMU), the impact of stream bank erosion on the Nukuhou River and subdivision on water quality, upgrading septic tanks and consenting for forestry

· In response to management options, there had been strong opposition from landowners regarding grazing on slopes greater than 25 degrees

· Sediment control bunds were found to be a successful mitigation tool to prevent sediment entering the freshwater body

· Incorporating additional information regarding cultural values, attributes and monitoring after the Plan Change became operative may be possible with iwi management plans or future Plan Changes

· Displayed maps highlighting that surface and ground water quantity was not an issue affecting the Ōhiwa FMU as there were few takes.

In Response to Questions:

· National Environmental Standards for Plantation Forestry (NES-PF) had been recently updated and additional rules for forestry were being considered. BOPRC had hired a new Compliance Officer from the forestry industry with a focus in this space and ensuring that operators were in line with environmental standards and new regional rules.

Resolved

That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

1 Receives the report, Essential Freshwater Policy Programme Update.

Iles/Titoko

CARRIED

7. Karakia Kati
Closing Karakia

A karakia was provided by Paaku Titoko.

12.10 pm – the meeting closed.

Confirmed

Cr Toi Kai Rākau Iti

Chairperson
Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum



Pūrongo Ki: Report To:	Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum
Rā Hui: Meeting Date:	28 March 2024
Kaituhi Pūrongo: Report Writer:	Tim Senior, Land Management Officer
Kaiwhakamana Pūrongo: Report Authoriser:	Pim De Monchy, Coastal Catchments Manager
Kaupapa: Purpose:	To update the Forum on the work undertaken to Implement the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy actions since July 2023 and to seek endorsement of the proposed 2024/25 work programme.

Annual Work Programme report to 29 February 2024 and proposed work programme for 2024-25

Whakarāpopototanga
Executive Summary

This report provides an update of the work carried out under the 2022-23 Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy annual work programme from July 2022 to February 2023. Much of the work is on-going in nature and contributes to a long term vision for the harbour. Further progress has been made in the areas of water quality, freshwater fish and tuna and kaimoana. This report also includes a proposed work programme for the next financial year, 2024-25, and seeks the endorsement of the Forum for this.

Ngā tūtohutanga
Recommendations

That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

1 Receives the report, Annual Work Programme report to 29 February 2024 and proposed work programme for 2024-25;

2 Endorses the proposed annual work programme 2023-24.

1. He Whakamārama
Background

The Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy (the Strategy) covers the Ōhiwa Harbour and its land catchment area. It is a non-statutory document that was prepared by the Strategy partners: Whakatāne District Council (WDC), Ōpōtiki District Council (ODC), Ngati Awa, Te Upokorehe, Whakatōhea, Te Waimana Kaaku, and Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC). The Strategy was adopted in 2008 and was refreshed in 2016.

Planning and coordination of the operational work of the Strategy is overseen by the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy Coordination Group (OHSCG) at which all partners are represented.

The work programme for the coming year is presented to the Forum for endorsement prior to the beginning of the new financial year, usually in March, while results for the previous year are reported every September. A work programme update is also provided. This report is also presented to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

Funding for the delivery of this work comes from the existing budgets of the strategy partners. An extra contribution from BOPRC of $50,000 per year covers the deliverables that are not the direct responsibility of any of the other 6 partners. Landowners and community groups also make a substantial contribution, either in cash or in kind, to many of the actions.

The deliverables of each annual work programme are based on the higher level actions contained in the Strategy. Most of these actions are of an ongoing nature.

2. Progress on key deliverables July 2023 to February 2024

Below is a summary of the more significant aspects of the work programme so far this year. A full detailed report to the end of June will be provided in September.

2.1 Actions 1.1 and 1.2, water quality

BOPRC Environmental Plans on farms underway in the catchment and scheduled for completion this financial year are expected to include about:

· 23km of waterway fencing

· 22ha of land retired from grazing

· 45,000 plants planted

BOPRC will contribute $160,000 to this work with landowners contributing $100,000.

An engineering assessment of the Nukuhou River has been completed and ideally some significant engineering work is required to reduce the downcutting of the river bed and erosion of the banks. Funding options for this are currently being investigated,

More detail on BOPRC land management work in the catchment is provided in another report in this agenda.

2.2 Action 1.4, farm stewardship

The Waiōtahe and Ōhiwa catchment group has held further meetings with the support of Fran van Alpen from the Landcare Trust. It is hoped that this supported collaboration between landowners will develop skills and knowledge leading to better environmental outcomes. The group is awaiting the outcome of an application for funding from MPI.

2.3 Action 1.10, freshwater fish

Over the summer good progress remediating barriers to fish passage in streams and drains throughout the catchment.

· 968 sites with possible barriers have been identified.

Of these:

· 295 have been found to be actual barriers.

Of these:

· 88 have so far been remediated.

· 207 barriers remain to be remediated.

Unfortunately no work could be done last winter as the streams were almost permanently in high flow. One new fish friendly tide gate has also been installed at Cheddar Valley.

2.4 Action 1.14, bylaws

The closing date for formal submissions on the Navigation Safety Bylaw was the end of February. Hearings will take place in late March.

There are ongoing issues with people disregarding the Ōpōtiki District Council bylaw which bans vehicles from the beach at Ōhiwa Spit. As the dune shape changes, people are making more vehicle tracks through the dunes to access the beach. This is also problematic for nesting dotterels.

2.5 Action 2.1, kaimoana

After working on it on and off since 2007, Kura Paul-Burke has now withdrawn from the mussel research and restoration project. A meeting of the Forum’s mussel project working group was held in late November at which a number of decisions were made. Further work on this project is detailed in another report in this agenda.

2.6 Action 3.3, kaitiakitanga

Upokorehe kaitiaki continue to monitor the pipi bed near Whangakopikopiko Island. They report that the bed is diminishing rapidly and that there are still ongoing problems with people taking more than the allowed limit, roaming dogs and vehicles on the mudflats.

2.7 Action 3.6, communications

The Ōhiwa website is now “live” for the public to view. However the site still needs considerable work to complete. Some of this work is underway. It will require ongoing monitoring to ensure that it’s up to date and relevant.

2.8 Action 3.31, health and safety

The BECA report on climate change implications for the Kutarere village and the river engineers report on flooding mitigation for the Kakaho Stream have both been completed. There has been no response from the residents.

3. Proposed 2024-25 annual work programme

Many of the strategy actions are, by their nature, ongoing. This is reflected in many of the work programme deliverables being repeated each year. However the programme also needs to respond to changing circumstances and needs.

The full proposed work programme for next year can be found in the appendix. Some of the more significant pieces of work planned for the year are:

· Continuing the work with landowners in the catchment to reduce the sediment and other contaminant loads entering the harbour.

· Continuing support for the farmers’ catchment group.

· Producing the five yearly State of the Environment report

· Continuing the retrofitting of identified freshwater fish barriers.

· Continuing the mussel restoration project and producing a detailed project plan.

· Investigating suitable areas for saltmarsh restoration.

The Forum members are asked to endorse this proposed work programme and to provide guidance on any changes that should be made to it.

4. Ngā Whakaarohanga
Considerations

4.1 Ngā Mōrea me Ngā Whakangāwaritanga
Risks and Mitigations

There are no significant risks associated with this matter/subject/project/initiative.

4.2 Huringa Āhuarangi
Climate Change

The matters addressed in this report are of a procedural nature and there is no need to consider climate change impacts.

4.3 Ngā Pānga ki te Māori
Implications for Māori

As committed kaitiaki of the harbour and partners to the strategy, the four tangata whenua partners were fully engaged in both the development of the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy, its refresh in 2016 and its continued implementation. Their mana whenua and mana moana is a cornerstone of the strategy and is the basis of many of the strategy actions. Individual tangata whenua representatives are regularly consulted with regarding many aspects of the work and staff from the councils engage iwi and hapū hui.

4.4 Whakawhitiwhiti ā-Hapori
Community Engagement

INVOLVE

Whakaura

To work directly with affected communities throughout the process to ensure that their issues and concerns are consistently understood and fully considered in Council’s decision making.

4.5 Te Hāngai ki te Pou Tarāwaho Rautaki
Alignment with Strategic Framework

This report details work towards implementing the actions of the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy.

4.6 Ngā Pānga ā-Pūtea
Financial Implications

There are no material unbudgeted financial implications and this fits within the allocated budget.

5. Ngā Mahi Whai Ake
Next Steps

The annual work programme will continue to implement the actions of the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy.

Tuhinga Tautoko
Attachments

Attachment 1 - Proposed Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy Annual Work Programme 2024-25 ⇩



Report To:	Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum
Meeting Date:	28 March 2024
Report Writer:	Sami Fox, Land Management Officer
Report Authoriser:	Pim De Monchy, Coastal Catchments Manager
Purpose:	Ōhiwa FMU Land Management Update

Ōhiwa FMU Land Management Update

Executive Summary

This is a summary of Land Management operations within the Ōhiwa Harbour Focus Catchment. It includes an update on work progress within the catchment, as well as providing other operational project highlights over the past 12 months.

Recommendations

That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

1 Receives the report, Ōhiwa FMU Land Management Update.

1. Introduction

The Eastern Land Management staff (part of the Coastal Catchments Team) delivers a diverse range of operational works from Ōtamarākau to Cape Runaway. These works are to improve water quality and biodiversity. The Ōhiwa Catchment is included in our ‘Focus Catchments Programme’ which aligns our work with the highest Essential Freshwater Programme priorities - such as addressing sedimentation and bacteria in the Ōhiwa Harbour (the catchments receiving body) which are the main environmental concerns due to the shallow nature of the harbour (Figure 1). As a focus catchment, Ōhiwa benefits from targeted work and higher grant funding.

This report provides an update and summary of operations within the 18,754 hectare Ōhiwa catchment or ‘Freshwater Management Unit’ (FMU), and includes the catchments of Maraetōtara, Wainui and Kutarere Streams as well as the Nukuhou River (which drains 60% of the catchment). All discharge into the Ōhiwa Harbour, except Maraetōtara which flows directly out to the coast at Ōhope.

Land use in Ōhiwa is comprised of native forest (22%) and dairy (24%), along with 17% exotic forest, 11% drystock, and nearly 5% in lifestyle blocks (Figure 2). Sediment loss, particularly from pastoral land uses and plantation forestry harvest and recently harvested areas is affecting the ecological health of Ōhiwa Harbour. Much of the land is very steep and erodible as identified in our SedNetNZ modelling of the catchment. Seagrass extents in the Harbour are also declining, and mangroves are naturally expanding into the muddier substrates. Climate change impacts are likely to increase this problem significantly over time. Faecal contamination following heavy rainfall events is significant too.

Both the sediment and E.coli will require significant changes in land use and practice to improve water quality outcomes and meet draft National Policy Statement – Freshwater Management (NPS-FM) environmental outcomes for this catchment (Figure 1). Furthermore, nutrient concentrations have also seen worsening trends for nitrates and phosphorus, but the degree of change required is smaller by comparison.

We are now several years into the Focus Catchments work programme and a significant amount of work has been achieved within the catchment through voluntary, incentives-based projects with willing landowners. Land management activities and interventions are important delivery tools for achieving water quality improvements.

· Figure 1: Ōhiwa Harbour Catchment/FMU requires a high scale of change for both Sediment & E. coli attributes under the Councils NPSFM Essential Freshwater Programme.

· Figure 2: Ōhiwa Harbour Land Cover Information (produced 2018)

1.1 Legislative Framework

The Land Management work is supported by the Environmental Grants Policy which sets out how, where and to what extent grants, advisory services and community support are provided to achieve our community outcomes and strategic priorities. The policy is based on statutory roles and responsibilities for Councils set out in the RMA 1991 (including the NPS-FW & IB and NES-F and the Soils and Rivers Control Act), often through objectives, policies and methods set out in the Regional Natural Resources Plan.

The Ōhiwa Catchment is also governed by the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy which was developed by OHIF and has been in place since 2008.

1.2 Alignment with Strategic Framework

A Healthy Environment	We work cohesively with volunteers and others, to sustainably manage and improve our natural resources.
Freshwater for Life	We deliver solutions to local problems to improve water quality and manage quantity.
The Way We Work	We look to partnerships for best outcomes.

The Land Management programme aligns with a number of community outcomes, including those related to Healthy Environments and Freshwater for Life. The way we work incorporates Partnerships with Māori and Community Participation.

Our Focus Catchments work is monitored in a number of different ways, including the Council’s ‘Swimmability’ KPI and through the Councils wider water quality monitoring programmes. Ultimately, the Focus Catchment Programme becomes a key link between voluntary land management action and the Council’s requirements to deliver the NPS-FM. It both complements and aligns with the legislative requirements and priorities of the Essential Freshwater Programme for Bay of Plenty, as well as other priorities such as biodiversity and care group support.

1.2.1 Community Well-beings Assessment

Dominant Well-Beings Affected

þ Environmental

High - Positive

þ Cultural

Medium - Positive

þ Social

Medium - Positive

¨ Economic

Low - Positive

Focus Catchments work contributes directly to positive environmental outcomes as its core purpose, with positive co-benefits around Cultural and Social well-beings.

2. Land Management Progress

2.1 Focus Catchment Update

The Ōhiwa progress report card in Figure 3 provides an overall summary of funding partners and physical works that have been undertaken in the catchment since 2019, as well as a summary of planned works so far for the 2023/24 year. Since 2019, across 35 different properties, over 390 hectares have been retired or protected with 180 km of new protection fencing and 72,431 native plants established. Land management works to protect forest remnants, retire steep erodible land, riparian margins and wetlands all helps contribute to the sediment and E. coli reductions required in this catchment.

The overall spatial coverage of Environmental Programmes (i.e. landowners directly engaged with receiving support and advice from the Council) across the wider catchment is significant – as shown in Figure 4. Some of these landowners with environmental programmes are just starting out while others have been proactive for over 20 years. Future work is likely to include further work on these properties and attempts to engage all other landowners with larger holdings and critical source areas.

Common land management works on properties have included the following: riparian fencing (including small streams and drains not covered by the NPS), riparian planting, native planting on retired steep areas, fencing of native bush remnants (including deer fencing for high priority/high risk sites), pest animal control (including traps & bait stations), pest plant control (including contributions toward spray or contractor time) and constructing/ enhancing wetlands. The overall coverage of waterway fencing in the Ōhiwa Harbour catchment was checked in 2018 (see Figure 5), and since then some 180 km of new fencing has been erected in the catchment.

· Figure 3: Ōhiwa Focus Catchment Progress Report Card

· Figure 4: Properties with Environmental Programmes (pale green) across both the Ōhiwa and also Waiotahe Focus Catchments.

· Figure 5: 2018 Ōhiwa Focus Catchment waterway stock exclusion.

2.2 Ōhiwa Catchment Operational Update

2.2.1 Ministry for the Environment Public Waterways and Ecosystem Restoration Fund

The MfE Public Waterways and Ecosystem Restoration Fund (PWER) began in July 2020 as a Jobs for Nature project in the Bay of Plenty region to fast track environmental works in Focus Catchments and has led to the incentivisation of water quality focused Environmental Programmes across 15 different properties within the catchment (providing supplementary co-funding to offset Council and landowner contributions). Across the Ōhiwa catchment the MfE PWER fund work included:

· Total project costs of $1,434,045 (including landowner contributions)

· Total MfE contribution of $715,272

· Total plants planted: 30,301

· Total length of new riparian/wetland/bush fencing: 86 km

· Landowner & contractor people hours to deliver works: 11,550 hours across 216 different people

The MfE PWER fund was fully expended and ended in July 2023. Figure 6 shows a few examples of areas that have been retired/protected using the MfE PWER co-funding around Ōhiwa. Protecting forest remnants can have both biodiversity and significant water quality benefits, as livestock graze and trample the understory creating bare areas (susceptible to erosion) and further prevent the natural regeneration of natives.

· Figure 6: Examples of some MfE PWER co-funded works around Ōhiwa:

· 1 & 2: Part of the 11.8 ha protection area (through 6km of protection fencing) that has been retired on this property along a stretch of the Waingarara Stream.

· 3: Extent of waterway protection that was achieved on one property shown in photos above.

· 4: A 4 ha retirement area (through 5.7km of protection fencing) along a stretch of the Matahaka Stream that was fenced and planted.

· 5: 5.2km of protection fencing along the Te Rereoterangi Stream fenced and planted.

2.2.2 Ministry for Primary Industries One Billion Trees Fund

The MPI One Billion Trees Fund (1BT) began in July 2019 and provided a contribution rate of up to $4,000/hectare for native planting and up to $500/project for fencing costs, with a minimum density requirement of 350/stems ha for tall trees. This has helped Council and landowners subsidise planting costs into areas that are retired out of production, increasing biodiversity values and reducing the risk of weed invasion into protection areas.

A total of $54,063 of MPI funds have been allocated across 14 properties within the Ōhiwa catchment towards 26,057 trees. The MPI 1BT fund is now fully expended and due for completion in March 2024.

2.2.3 Wetlands

Mapping of potential saltmarsh habitat in the Ōhiwa Harbour has been completed as part of a wider region wide project. LiDAR, field surveys and aerial imagery identified that the preferred elevation range for saltmarsh occurs between 0.8 m–1.2 m above mean sea level (Moturiki datum). We used the regionwide LiDAR dataset to identify all land that falls within this elevation range as “potential saltmarsh habitat”. In Ōhiwa, there was 365 hectares of potential saltmarsh area, with 213 hectares of this currently in pastoral land use - representing a significant future environmental opportunity for land management staff to consult with those landowners, assess current site conditions and potentially incentivise the restoration of these areas from marginal pasture back to valuable salt marsh habitat.

There are a range of different sediment traps and wetlands in the catchment. Some landowners are enhancing/ restoring natural features, others are adding sediment traps to artificial drains. An older constructed wetland from a 100 ha sub-catchment of Ōhiwa harbour has seen approximately 100 tonnes of sediment removed from last year’s waterlogged conditions, emphasising the importance of advocating for new treatment wetland projects in the area. In 2023 a new 1 ha wetland was also constructed on the edge of the harbour ecotone from freshwater wetland saltmarsh and mangrove habitat.

2.2.4 Biodiversity

The Ōhiwa Catchment has significant biodiversity values, with some recent developments in large-scale and small-scale biodiversity protection. The largest project being the Ōhope and Whakatāne sites including Kōhī Point Scenic Reserve, Mokorua Bush Scenic Reserve, Ōhope Scenic Reserve, Ngāti Awa Kawenata land and the Dodds QEII Covenant for which the Environmental Programme covering the next two years was recently signed by the project partners. This is Council’s largest single Environmental Programme by value which effectively protects the biodiversity of 1,041 ha of pohutukawa and broadleaved tawa dominant forest. This project is worth an estimated $335,900 per annum (including $222,000 from Council), excluding the approximate 8,164 volunteer hours contributing to this project. The reserves are now home to a significant population of kiwi, which dwindled to just four breeding pairs in the Ōhope scenic reserve in 2000.

The Ohope Whakatāne Sites is not the only home to kiwi in the Ōhiwa harbour with one of our recently protected priority biodiversity sites on private land (Millar’s) also having at least a pair of kiwi, which were caught on camera last winter (7). This site is made up of 22ha of Tawa, kohekohe, rewarewa, hinau, podocarp forest protected with a neighbouring 13ha block also protected. These sites were protected with deer fencing and a predator baiting and trapping programme in the forest remnants.

kiwi 3.MP4

· Figure 7: Video stills of kiwi taken in the Millars Environmental Programme area taken on two separate evenings.

There is just one ‘Priority 1’ biodiversity site (a coastal kahikatea remnant) in the Ōhiwa catchment, which has also been fenced and is protected with pest animal control for possums and rats. The mahi that was completed in the past has recently been protected into perpetuity through a Council Covenant in Gross against the title. Other Priority 2 and 3 biodiversity sites in the catchment are future opportunities to support fencing and pest control activity with co-benefits for water quality.

2.2.5 Water quality targets, monitoring & NPS-FM alignment

Ōhiwa Harbour mud content and faecal contaminants need to reduce (Figure 1), and nutrients should not increase. Indicated load reductions for the Harbour are:

• A 15% sediment load reduction might be achieved by good management practice in the catchment, although substantially more is likely to be needed to improve Harbour ecological health.

• 69% E. coli reduction to meet C band for human contact in the Nukuhou River.

These are large sediment load reductions, and very large E. coli reductions. Some long-term monitoring sites are below national bottom lines and need to improve. For example, phosphorus (DRP) and E. coli at the Nukuhou River monitoring site are in a ‘poor’ state and need to improve. Ōhiwa Harbour ecological health will decline if worsening nutrient concentrations continue. Current nutrient loads are likely to be only slightly impacting harbour ecological health.

The “very likely worsening” trends for nitrate and “likely worsening” for DRP trends on the Nukuhou as the main tributary of the harbour are concerning. Indications are that nutrient loads need to be held at current levels or reduced to support the harbour. These contaminants are generally sourced from pastoral farming land uses. It is likely that dairy farming land use is the predominant source of these contaminants. Work is also underway to estimate how much phosphorus is naturally occurring so that reasonable targets can be set.

The Harbour is valued by the community for its kai moana – flounder, shellfish and native freshwater fish with the Nukuhou River being an important freshwater mahinga kai source. The Council has three monitoring sites for shellfish harvesting around the estuary: Ōhiwa Harbour at Reserve (Boat Ramp), Ōhope at Surf Club, and Ōhope Beach opposite Moana Street. Monitoring over the past five years has shown that water quality is generally safe for shellfish gathering/mahinga kai at the Ōhope sites, but the Boat Ramp site has had some exceedances.

In 2021 the regional council contracted Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research to undertake SedNetNZ modelling which identifies sources and sinks of sediment and nutrients in river networks and predicts spatial patterns of erosion and sediment load. This model found that from the different sediment sources; 75% was from landslides, 17% from river/stream banks and 8% from surficial erosion. This model predicted a 15% reduction in sediment load from the catchment could be achieved under a mitigation scenario incorporating potential riparian fencing and scrub reversion in steep pastoral hill country. Although these findings give a fairly grim forecast ahead it also helps us and the community set realistic goals for reducing sediment yields from the catchment.

2.2.6 River management

The past few years of wet weather has seen high river flows in the Nukuhou River which has resulted in the downcutting of the bed of the river and significant amounts of bank material from the soft unconsolidated banks becoming mobilised and ultimately ending up in the harbour. Detailed aerial drone photography of the lower river has been taken and this imagery is being analysed by Roger Waugh from Riverscape Ltd to analyse options for reducing riverine erosion and prioritise areas for bank remediation. The Nukuhou River is not part of a rated river scheme so the financial resource for any river management is limited. Initial findings have pointed to the need for bed control structures to aggrade bed material and stop the current pattern of the bed being down-cut and leading to bank slumping. Third party funding is being explored for the creation of a number of bed control structures in the river.

Also, recent riverbank erosion has highlighted the importance for council to maintain supply of shrub willow planting stock for the protection of riverbanks throughout the Eastern Bay and hence staff have been working together to create a Regional Council owned shrub willow nursery as well as contingency supply from willing landowners.

Work is also underway for the establishment of a regional council poplar nursery and there are a couple of local private poplar nurseries becoming established which will support river management and hill country pole planting initiatives in the region- as pole supply remains a challenge for the land management team due to lack of commercial suppliers in the region.

2.2.7 Care Groups

The largest proportion of priority biodiversity sites and care groups in the Eastern Bay are located around the Ōhiwa Harbour. There are 13 Care Groups around the Ōhiwa harbour protecting 1000s of hectares of public land.

An environmental programme protecting the biodiversity (some 175ha) of the Ōhope spit has also recently been finalised and is with project partners for signing. This plan coordinates the work of numerous groups (12) at the spit east of Port Ōhope.

Other groups operating in the Ōhiwa Harbour catchment include: Ōhiwa spit, Nukuhou saltmarsh (and Uretara Island), Upokorehe iwi Kaitiaki, Kutarere Roimata, Ruatuna Pukeruru, Ōhiwa Reserves, Ōhope harbourside walkway, Hurike, Bryans beach, Harrison Road also a farmer led catchment group has been taking shape over the last 12 months with help from the Landcare Trust and Waiōtahe Water care.

A successful public community presentation covering the main water quality issues and Council work being undertaken in the catchment was held in the Nukuhou North Settlers hall in early 2022, with around 20 farmers attending. The group was also gauged for interest in establishing a catchment group which may eventuate in the future with support of Landcare Trust and the Council. This work helped the Ōhiwa and Waiōtahe FMUs have some of the highest attendance and engagement at the policy teams recent Essential Freshwater Programme drop-in sessions updating on the plan change process.

2.2.8 Ōhiwa Harbour engagement challenges

The Ōhiwa Catchment requires a significant amount of change to achieve community values and targets under the Essential Freshwater Programme. The potential regulatory options (land use rules such as slope-based controls) being considered by the Regional Council to address change have resulted in some concerns from some of the larger landowners in the catchment, to the extent that some have pulled back from their longer-term work programmes and relationships with the land management team while they await better certainty on the new ‘regulatory environment’.

There has also been some land management staff turnover in the catchment which can be challenging as landowners often prefer consistency of relationship with council. Another challenge is that the larger commercial land users are not directly alongside the estuary and so often have less connection and personal interest in the harbour compared with the smaller land holders who adjoin the harbour directly but are not significant contributors to the contaminant loads.

2.2.9 Priority Ōhiwa land management actions for 2024/2025 and onwards

· Continue to work with individual landowners to develop Environmental Programmes that contribute to enhanced biodiversity and water quality outcomes in the catchment and contribute to relevant OHIF outcomes. Prioritisation will be given to actions that address the main sediment and E. coli issues present, and priority biodiversity sites (PBS’s).

· Establish new willow and poplar nursery areas as part of the land management tool kit for steeper land erosion and stream bank erosion.

· Provide ongoing support to maintain/ enhance the Ōhiwa Mussel beds and seek co-funding.

· Continue with fish passage remediations in the catchment.

· Prioritise the retirement of areas identified as ‘potential’ saltmarsh habitat and pursue new wetland development opportunities.

· Progress with remediation of the Nukuhou River bed degradation and bank stabilisation works.

· Support community/catchment groups and collaborate with community organisations and other agencies to maximise the progress towards achieving a healthy harbour and catchment.

· Support landowners with understanding the changing regulatory environment, including farm planning etc.

3. Considerations

3.1 Risks and Mitigations

There are no significant risks to this work programme at this time.

3.2 Climate Change

Reduce GHG emissions	Produce GHG emissions	Sequester carbon	Anticipate climate change impacts	Respond to climate change impacts
☐	☐	☒	☒	☐

Planting and land retirement activities can help to sequester carbon and produce buffers for climate change. Sea level rise as a result of climate change will lead to greater amounts of low-lying marginal land being retired around the Ōhiwa Harbour.

3.3 Implications for Māori

Catchment work spans the rohe of a number of different iwi/hapū, and includes advice and support to Māori land owners consistent with Council’s Environmental Grants Policy. Consideration has been given to the aspirations of iwi/hapu in the work programmes of each focus catchment, with strengthening partnerships in various stages of engagement and development.

3.4 Community Engagement

INVOLVE

Whakaura

To work directly with affected communities throughout the process to ensure that their issues and concerns are consistently understood and fully considered in Council’s decision making.

The Focus Catchment Programme approach relies strongly on collaborative, voluntary work with landowners and community to achieve water quality objectives.

Recent freshwater engagement for the NPSFM saw good attendance with most large-scale landowners present and impassioned engagement being undertaken in this catchment.

3.5 Financial Implications

This work is funded from the allocated budget of the Coastal Catchments Activity. Demand remains high for incentivised land management work and new Government funding such as the Hill Country Erosion Fund will continue to increase the scale and quality of on-the-ground actions possible.

4. Next Steps

The Land Management team will continue to deliver its Ōhiwa Harbour Focus Catchment work programme priority actions with community, iwi/hapū and other relevant stakeholders.



Pūrongo Ki: Report To:	Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum
Rā Hui: Meeting Date:	28 March 2024
Kaituhi Pūrongo: Report Writer:	Tim Senior, Land Management Officer
Kaiwhakamana Pūrongo: Report Authoriser:	Pim De Monchy, Coastal Catchments Manager
Kaupapa: Purpose:	To update the Forum on recent developments in the mussel restoration project.

Mussel restoration project update

Whakarāpopototanga
Executive Summary

The mussel restoration project is being taken over from Dr Kura Paul-Burke by the Forum. The way forward, discussed by the Forum working group late last year, is updated here.

Ngā tūtohutanga
Recommendations

That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

1 Receives the report, Mussel restoration project update.

1. He Whakamārama
Background

At the September 2023 hui, the Forum agreed to set up a working group to further discuss the mussel restoration project. This group met on 29 November. A number of decisions were made and a large number of actions resulted. The notes from this meeting can be found in Appendix 1. This report is a summary of the progress made following up on these actions.

There are a number of components to this project:

1. Monitoring of mussel populations

2. Removal of the two monitoring stations on the eastern side

3. Granting of resource consent

4. Monitoring of the remaining two stations

5. Obtaining of a special permit from MPI

6. Harvesting of seastars by diving and trapping

7. Storage and use of seastars

2. Monitoring

2.1 Mussel population monitoring

Kura recommended that population surveys are carried out annually. These are important to allow us to assess the success or otherwise of any seastar removal. The last population survey was carried out in July 2023. Josie Crawshaw (BOPRC costal scientist) is unable to add this work to her work programme but has offered to find someone from NIWA able to do it. This is likely to be expensive. Kura’s fee for this would have been $17,000.

2.2 Monitoring of equipment

Full monitoring of the stations by divers needs to be carried out at least once a year, or more often depending on the resource consent conditions. But experience has shown that the lines sometimes become tangled, particularly during rough weather. It’s suggested that they are monitored weekly from the shore using binoculars to check that the buoys are still afloat and in a straight line. Access to a reasonably sized boat would be required if any untangling was needed.

2.3 Monitoring station removal

There are currently four monitoring stations with spat lines in the harbour, two on the western side near the Ōhope boat ramp, and two on the eastern side. At the November working group meeting, it was agreed that, in order to reduce costs and to keep the project manageable, the two stations on the eastern side should be removed. It was hoped that this could be done before the current resource consent expires in June but this is not possible. All four stations will therefore need to be included in the consent application. This operation requires specialist equipment able to lift the heavy train wheels used as anchors. There are two options:

1. To hire the Bay Marine Works barge that periodically visits to lift and check the boat moorings in the harbour. Its next scheduled visit is in November. The barge costs $5000 a day but the work should only take a few hours.

2. The BOPRC maritime team take delivery of a new boat in July. This has the capacity to lift the anchors and drag them to the nearest boat ramp. A hiab would then be require to lift and transport them.

2.4 Resource consent

3. The current resource consent for the monitoring stations expires at the end of June. A new application needs to be submitted by the end of March in order for the activity to continue under s124 of the Resource Management Act, even if that applicastion is incomplete. Jo Cranswick (Fish Passage Officer) is working on the renewal consent application and it will be lodged in time.

4. Seastar removal

4.1 MPI permit

An MPI special permit is required to remove organisms from the marine environment that are outside the permitted take numbers for the purposes of scientific research. Kura had a permit in place for her work up to the present. This permit was held by the University of Waikato. We would need a new permit. BOPRC has a special permit for a number of projects for the removal of various organisms. We are able to add this project to the BOPRC list of projects without applying for a separate permit. An application to do this has been made to MPI.

4.2 Seastar removal requirements

Kura has suggested that we remove seastars by both diving (to collect mostly large seastars) and trapping (to remove smaller seastars).

The diving is difficult due to currents (there is about a one and a half hour window at slack tide) and visibility (the water is often very cloudy). As the seastars are removed, they need to be counted and each one needs to be measured. This requires at least two people in the boat, one counting and measuring and one (with dry hands) to do the recording. The spearfishing club are still interested in helping out with this.

The traps need to be placed in a grid through the bed and left in place for 48hrs. Bonito has been found to be an effective bait. Again the contents of the traps need to be recorded when they’re retrieved. Kura can provide us with the traps. As with the diving, deploying the traps, retrieving them and recording will need a boat with two or three people.

There are some health and safety issues that will need to be worked through for this work.

The harvested seastars then need to be frozen before delivering to a worm farm.

5. Ngā Whakaarohanga
Considerations

5.1 Ngā Mōrea me Ngā Whakangāwaritanga
Risks and Mitigations

There are no significant risks associated with this matter/subject/project/initiative.

5.2 Huringa Āhuarangi
Climate Change

The matters addressed in this report are of a procedural nature and there is no need to consider climate change impacts.

5.3 Ngā Pānga ki te Māori
Implications for Māori

As committed kaitiaki of the harbour and partners to the strategy, the four tangata whenua partners were fully engaged in both the development of the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy, its refresh in 2016 and its continued implementation. Their mana whenua and mana moana is a cornerstone of the strategy and is the basis of many of the strategy actions. The tangata whenua partners have been fully engaged in this mussel restoration project.

5.4 Whakawhitiwhiti ā-Hapori
Community Engagement

CO-OPERATE

Mahi Ngātahi

To work closely with affected communities to develop alternatives and recommend a preferred solution.

5.5 Te Hāngai ki te Pou Tarāwaho Rautaki
Alignment with Strategic Framework

This work aligns with the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy actions.

5.6 Ngā Pānga ā-Pūtea
Financial Implications

The detailed costs of this project are as yet unknown as we haven’t been able to obtain quotes from suitably qualified contractors so we are unable to comment if the current budget is sufficient but will keep all parties updated once this information has been received.

6. Ngā Mahi Whai Ake
Next Steps

We will continue to seek contractors to do some of the work. Once personnel and costs are known, a detailed project plan will be developed and presented to the Forum for discussion.

Tuhinga Tautoko
Attachments

Attachment 1 - Mussel restoration working group meeting notes ⇩



Pūrongo Ki: Report To:	Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum
Rā Hui: Meeting Date:	28 March 2024
Kaituhi Pūrongo: Report Writer:	Merehine Waiari, Senior Advisor and Herewini Simpson, Kaihautu (Te Amorangi Lead)
Kaiwhakamana Pūrongo: Report Authoriser:	Kataraina O'Brien, General Manager, Strategic Engagement
Kaupapa: Purpose:	To inform the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum of the draft Long Term Plan 2024-2034 that Toi Moana will be consulting on.

Long Term Plan 2024-2034 Consultation

Whakarāpopototanga
Executive Summary

Toi Moana is currently working on the Long Term Plan 2024-2034 (LTP). The LTP will set the strategic direction for Toi Moana over the next ten years, including the work we deliver, and how that work will be funded.

Toi Moana is focused on working collaboratively with Māori as key contributors to strategic direction and leadership in the region. The Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum is a joint committee established to oversee and monitor the implementation of the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy. We recognise the importance of the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum and the role we have in administering the Forum.

We are consulting directly with tangata whenua from now until Tuesday 9 April on the draft LTP and the kaupapa Māori initiatives that have a direct impact on our partnerships with Māori. Through consultation, tangata whenua will have an opportunity to provide feedback that will help to inform the final decision-making for the LTP 2024-2034.

Ngā tūtohutanga
Recommendations

That the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum:

1 Receives the report, Long Term Plan 2024-2034 Consultation.

1. He Whakamārama
Background

Every three years we work with our community to create an LTP. The LTP sets the strategic direction for Toi Moana over the next ten years, including the work we deliver and how that work will be funded. Effective consultation with the community ensures that we make the right decisions for future generations. Toi Moana is also committed to ensuring we improve opportunities for Māori to contribute to local government decision making, including through the LTP.

We have developed this LTP during a period of change. We are proposing a dedicated community outcome Te Ara Poutama, which focuses on how Toi Moana will continue to work collaboratively with Māori over the next ten years. This will provide direction and identify key actions that are required across Toi Moana to enhance our partnerships with Māori.

This report provides an update on what Toi Moana will be consulting on for the LTP 2024-2034 that are most relevant to kaupapa Māori initiatives and the Ōhiwa Harbour area.

2. LTP Consultation with Māori

2.1 Partnerships with Māori

The principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi and the partnership upon which it is founded are an established part of the local government framework. Māori hold a unique role in shaping and contributing to regional leadership and direction.

One of the proposed community outcomes, Te Ara Poutama, builds on Māori partnerships as a key priority and impact area. Through Te Ara Poutama, Toi Moana will work with tangata whenua to support enhanced Māori participation in operational activities, support Māori capacity and capability building, ensure an equitable approach to the four well-beings and delivery of community outcomes and partner with Māori to enhance delivery and share decision-making.

We would appreciate views/feedback on the proposed new community outcome Te Ara Poutama and the goals that sit alongside.

2.2 Consultation Questions

Toi Moana is now consulting with the community on three key issues in the consultation document until Tuesday 9 April and are seeking feedback on the options for addressing these issues and any other matters related to our services and rates.

The consultation questions focus on public transport, regional parks and a staged sell down in our Port of Tauranga Limited shareholding (via Quayside Holdings Limited). In December 2023, we notified iwi leaders that we would be consulting on the potential sell down in our Port of Tauranga Limited shares.

The LTP consultation document that discusses the consultation questions in detail is publicly available on our Participate webpage.

2.3 Direct Engagement with Māori

We have invited direct engagement with iwi authorities, co-governance entities and other Māori leaders with our Māori Councillors on the draft LTP during the consultation period.

Online hui for tangata whenua are being held on the following dates:

· Mauao: Thursday 14 March 2024 at 12.30pm

· Ōkurei: Monday 18 March 2024 at 12.30pm

· Kōhī: Thursday 21 March 2024 at 12.30pm

The online hui are primarily focused on the kaupapa Māori within the draft LTP as well as key issues Toi Moana are consulting on.

Independent support to draft submissions

Toi Moana is offering a free service for submitters to assist with drafting submissions. Contact details for the independent support person:

Ms Huiarau Stewart huiarau@moko.nz phone 0211837583.

LTP Hearings

Toi Moana hearings are scheduled to take place for four days on 10 May and 14-16 May 2024. We will be holding a LTP hearing on a Marae on 10 May 2024. Submitters who want to speak to their submissions can request to be heard at the marae venue and can chose to speak in Te Reo Māori (translators will be available). Alternatively, submitters can chose one of the other dates/venues.

3. Ngā Whakaarohanga
Considerations

3.1 Ngā Mōrea me Ngā Whakangāwaritanga
Risks and Mitigations

Iwi-Māori are experiencing a level of consultation, engagement, and reform fatigue. Competing priorities make it challenging for Māori to participate in our processes, within the LTP timeframes.

Staff are doing their best to connect directly and tailor consultation as required.

3.2 Huringa Āhuarangi
Climate Change

The impacts of climate change on Iwi-Māori are acknowledged and recognised through our Climate Change work programme. Several Māori groups, particularly marae, have received funding to help develop bespoke climate change strategies.

3.3 Ngā Pānga ki te Māori
Implications for Māori

The LTP sets the strategic direction for Toi Moana over the next ten years, including the work we deliver and how that work will be funded. Māori hold a unique role in shaping and contributing to regional leadership.

Council must use the special consultative procedure in adopting the LTP under sections 93(2) and 93A of the LGA. This requires Council to clearly present the significant issues, plans and projects proposed for the LTP and provide an opportunity for the community to give feedback that will help to inform the final decision-making. Under section 81(1)(a) of the LGA, Council must also establish and maintain processes to provide opportunities for Māori to contribute to decision-making.

Toi Moana is committed to providing opportunities for effective consultation with Māori on the LTP 2024-2034, so that Māori are informed and can provide feedback on the significant issues, plans and projects that are relevant for Māori over the next ten years. Toi Moana Māori Councillors and staff are open to meeting with co-governance entities and iwi leaders to discuss the LTP during the consultation period.

3.4 Whakawhitiwhiti ā-Hapori
Community Engagement

Toi Moana has invited direct engagement with Māori during the LTP consultation period from Friday 8 March to Tuesday 9 April. This has involved direct engagement with Māori leaders and co-governance entities as well as online hui and staff presence at community events.

3.5 Te Hāngai ki te Pou Tarāwaho Rautaki
Alignment with Strategic Framework

Many of the core functions of Toi Moana directly impact on the mauri of the Ōhiwa Harbour. The services we deliver and how they are funded that are set in the LTP, are therefore relevant to the purpose of the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum. This includes how we aim to partner with Māori in achieving shared outcomes over the next ten years.

3.6 Ngā Pānga ā-Pūtea
Financial Implications

There are no material unbudgeted financial implications and this fits within the allocated budget.

4. Ngā Mahi Whai Ake
Next Steps

Following consultation on the LTP, Toi Moana will hold hearings in May 2024. This will provide submitters with an opportunity to speak to Toi Moana Councillors about their submission.

Council will then review all feedback and formally adopt the final LTP 2024-2034 in June 2024.