Latest news with #WWF-NewZealand
Scoop
12 hours ago
- General
- Scoop
Industry Lobby Group's ‘Fishy' Marine Protection Claims Under Fire
Environmental groups, marine scientists, and iwi representatives have today called out lobby group Seafood New Zealand for its egregious greenwashing of New Zealand's commercial fishing industry. In an open letter published today, the signatories accuse Seafood New Zealand of misleading the public with its repeated and unsubstantiated claims that Aotearoa New Zealand has already achieved the global target of protecting 30% of its ocean territory by 2030. 'Claiming New Zealand has already protected 30% of our ocean is utterly disingenuous and creates a dangerous illusion of progress – when in reality, less than 1% of our ocean is highly protected and our fragile marine species and habitats remain exposed to immense harm,' says Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, Chief Executive of WWF-New Zealand. Seafood New Zealand continues to argue that New Zealand has already protected 30% of its ocean because it counts a type of protection known as 'Benthic Protection Areas' (BPAs). While these areas restrict bottom trawling and dredging on the seabed, they still allow midwater trawling, longlining, and other extractive industrial practices to continue unabated. They fall wildly short of 'highly protected' as defined by internationally recognised standards. Even the Department of Conservation acknowledges BPAs don't protect sufficient biodiversity to meet the standard of a Marine Protected Area. 'These areas were chosen – by industry – because they had little impact on commercial fishing operations, not because they protect biodiversity. Most of these zones were never bottom trawled in the first place - because they're simply too deep for it - and in many of them, harmful industrial fishing practices are still rampant. That's not protection – it's pulling the wool over Kiwis' eyes,' says Dr Kingdon-Bebb. 'Calling BPAs 'protected areas' is a dangerous distortion that risks delaying the urgent action needed to safeguard ocean health. It gives the public and policymakers a false sense of progress while deep-sea corals, seamounts, and vital habitats for our declining native species and key fish stocks remain under immense threat.' Dr Kingdon-Bebb says Seafood New Zealand's continued peddling of misinformation does a disservice to many of New Zealand's commercial fishing companies. Fishing company Sealord, for example, has publicly backed the 30% ocean protection target – and acknowledged the significant effort still needed to reach this goal. 'There are commercial fishing companies genuinely trying to do better, but they're being undermined by an industry lobby group more interested in greenwashing and spin. That needs to change,' says Kingdon-Bebb. Since 1970, the health of some of Aotearoa New Zealand's commercial fish stocks have plummeted. In the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana, scallop and crayfish fisheries have nearly collapsed. Our country's waters are home to half the world's whale and dolphin species, but 22% of marine mammals are now on the brink of extinction. More species of seabird breed in Aotearoa than anywhere else on earth – but a staggering 90% are now threatened or at risk. 'With our marine life on the brink and New Zealand lagging behind the rest of the world in ocean conservation, we urge Seafood New Zealand to stop overstating the nation's marine protection efforts and instead back meaningful, inclusive, science-led conservation that upholds Māori rights and interests. Our fragile marine environment deserves more than paper parks and poorly executed PR spin. It needs real protection,' says Kingdon-Bebb. The full list of signatories to the open letter include: Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, WWF-New Zealand Dr Russel Norman, Greenpeace Aotearoa Nicola Toki, Forest & Bird Professor Conrad Pilditch, Marine Scientist, University of Auckland Professor Simon Thrush, Marine Scientist, University of Auckland Professor Daniel Hikuroa, Earth Systems Scientist, University of Auckland Vince Kerr, Marine Ecologist, Kerr and Associates Nicola Rata-MacDonald, Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust Duncan Currie, Deep Sea Conservation Coalition Natalie Jessup, Endangered Species Foundation Daren Grover, Project Jonah Anna Campbell, Yellow-Eyed Penguin Trust Karen Saunders, Native Bird Rescue James Gibson, BLAKE Tom Karstensen, New Zealand Underwater Association Jenny Craig, Dive Pacific
Scoop
30-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Government's Biodiversity Plan Is ‘Light On Detail And Heavy On Vague Intentions'
The government's plan to tackle Aotearoa New Zealand's biodiversity crisis lacks ambition and fails to match the scale and urgency of the challenge, says WWF-New Zealand. Public submissions on the Government's next implementation plan for Te Mana o te Taiao - Aotearoa New Zealand's Biodiversity Strategy close today. In its submission, WWF-New Zealand says it supports the plan's themes and actions - but warns these are not detailed or ambitious enough to address New Zealand's mounting biodiversity crisis. 'Our economy, wellbeing, and resilience to climate change all rely on a thriving natural environment - but we now have the highest species extinction rate in the world. This is not the time for business-as-usual or vague, waffly goals,' said WWF-New Zealand's CEO, Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb. 'We need clear, measurable, timebound actions aligned to our global targets to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030. Unfortunately what the Government has offered is no better than 'a plan for a plan': a document light on detail, devoid of new investment, and heavy on vague intentions. 'The irony is not lost on us that the coalition Government is advancing a biodiversity implementation plan while simultaneously doing more damage to our environment than any previous government I can remember. We need more than hollow words.' Kingdon-Bebb says the plan also fails to address the urgent need for stronger protections in Aotearoa's vast ocean territory - which is home to up to 80% of the country's indigenous biodiversity. 'Less than one percent of our ocean is highly protected, and a worrying number of marine species are at a crisis point - yet it feels like we've missed the memo with this plan. New Zealand is failing to protect our ocean and in doing so failing future generations.' Kingdon-Bebb says the Government's proposed plan also fails to reflect the value of Aotearoa's natural environment or address the scale of investment needed. Recent economic analysis undertaken by WWF-New Zealand and EY revealed that protecting nature could save Aotearoa New Zealand more than $270 billion over the next 50 years. 'Safeguarding our threatened species and habitats can create competitive advantage for our key industries and grow our economy. But we urgently need to scale up investment, including properly funding the Department of Conservation to do its job,' says Kingdon-Bebb. 'The vision of Te Mana o te Taiao - to reverse decades of biodiversity decline and place nature at the heart of decision-making - remains the right one. But achieving that vision requires a truly transformational plan. Sadly, this sense of urgency and ambition is sorely lacking.' 'We still have a chance to turn things around. But this depends on political courage, transparency, and the willingness to put nature at the heart of our national priorities.'
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
‘No BS' Or ‘No Biodiversity Spend'? Budget Fails Nature And Climate Yet Again
Aotearoa's environment is yet again the loser in the Government's 2025 Budget, with major nature funds scrapped and $200 million in handouts to fossil fuel companies, says the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) New Zealand. WWF-New Zealand's CEO, Dr Kayla Kingdon-Bebb, has slammed the Government's short-sighted thinking and failure to grapple with the fact New Zealand's economy relies so heavily on a healthy natural environment. 'When Nicola Willis called this a 'no BS Budget' was she actually referring to 'no Biodiversity Spend'? Because this Budget is woefully lacking when it comes to investment in our environment - despite the fact that nature is New Zealand's greatest asset,' she says. 'It is utterly astounding that in the midst of a climate and biodiversity emergency this Government is ploughing over $200 million into underwriting new gas fields, scrapping funds that protect our declining native species and ecosystems, and significantly defunding the Predator Free 2050 initiative - a 'moonshot' initiative that the National Party spearheaded with great fanfare in 2016. 'New Zealand already has the highest species extinction rate in the world and we're just watching it happen like a slow-motion car crash.' WWF-New Zealand's recent economic assessment with EY New Zealand revealed that investing in the protection and restoration of nature could save Aotearoa New Zealand more than $270 billion over the next 50 years. Investing in creating more Marine Protected Areas to provide safe havens for ocean wildlife, restoring degraded wetlands, and expanding native forest cover all bring huge benefits to our economy. 'Investing in nature isn't simply a 'nice to have'. Protecting our country from the worst impacts of biodiversity loss and climate change is absolutely essential for preserving our global 'clean and green' brand and ensuring our tourism sector and primary industries continue to thrive,' says Dr Kingdon-Bebb. 'Yet again, the Government has totally missed the memo. When nature is at a tipping point, we need to be investing in climate action and boosting funds to agencies like the Department of Conservation - not stripping them further to the bone. 'It's no wonder that DOC is having to crowdsource funding from members of the public for its core conservation work, while report after report shows our native species are continuing to decline at alarming rates. 'It just makes no economic sense that we're continually neglecting our greatest asset and wilfully making decisions that are going to cost us more in the long-run. This Government is claiming it has a 'responsible budget' - but frankly pursuing short-term economic growth at the expense of our natural world is the furthest thing from responsible I can imagine. 'Without concerted action and investment in conservation and climate action, the natural environment on which we all depend is going to end up as barren as this Budget.'
