IEM In Action: Fiordland Marine Guardians

So far we have looked at individual environmental problems and suggested an IEM approach to addressing that problem. But surely IEM is not a new concept. The literature review in the previous post shows that there has been a considerable amount of research conducted in this area, so where are the examples? This post looks at the example of Fiordland Marine Guardians and their IEM approach to addressing the environmental concerns of one of the most acclaimed landscapes in New Zealand, Fiordland.



Who are they?

The Guardians of Fiordland were formed in 1995, when local community members became concerned about the increasing impact and demand on the Fiordland Marine Area from competing use in the area. The group formed with representatives from environmental groups, tourism operators, commercial and recreational fishers, scientists and tangata whenua. They saw a requirement to improve environmental management in the area and developed an integrated approach to dealing with it. Also known as 'Fiordland Marine Guardans' (FMG), they are now a statutory body established by the Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Management Act 2005.

What was/is integrated about it?

Firstly the involvement of a wide variety of key stakeholders was significant. The various community based stakeholders worked in conjunction with the regional council, Environment Southland (ES), the Ministry for the Environment (MfE), the Ministry of Fisheries (MFish) and the Department of Conservation (DoC). For a reason undisclosed, they did not involve the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand.

The group establish a long-term, strategic approach from the outset through the formulation of a vision:

"That the quality of Fiordland's marine environment and fisheries, including the wider fishery experience, be maintained or improved for future generations to use and enjoy"

From there, they were able to develop a Fiordland Marine Conservation Strategy (the Strategy), which was published in 2003.

The Strategy was comprehesive and involved problem definition and goal setting in its drafting. In order to develop the information contained in the document, FMG had to undertake further consultation with the Fiordland community and integrate a wide array of both scientific and common knowledge. This process also developed consensus and agreement for the proposals and initiative contained in the strategy. Stakeholder groups were prepared to relinquish some benefits they previously enjoyed, in order to achieve the greater goal of sustainable management of the Fiordland Marine Area. It was coordinating as it prioritised issues and guided users and stakeholders to work towards common goals.

There is now integration of public policy and legislation too. After the Strategy was finalised to was presented ot the Minister of Fisheris and the Minister for the Environment. To review the strategy the Government formed an additional investigative group, which consisted of various central and regional government representatives to work along side FMG and to devise a programme of implementation. Not only did the Government accept the strategy and support it's implementation, they undertook an ammendment of fisheries regulations and non-commercial harvesting. Their ammendments excluded commercial fishing from large areas of the internal waters of Fiordland. They also conducted a range of other non-legislative measures. FMG now provide advice and make recommendations to agencies and Ministers with matters pertaining to the Biosecurity Act 1993, Environment Act 1986, Fisheries Act 1996; Marine Reserves Act 1971 and the Resource Management Act 1991.

The FMG approach also involves monitoring and evaluation of environmental outcomes. They have an active Monitoring Plan and current research projects underway are: Blue Cod Closure Research, Baseline Biodiversity Survey, Biosecurity Risk Assessment, Milford Port Survey, Catch/Diary Survey and FMA User Survey.

What are their ongoing goals?

FMG are now well established and here to stay. In addition to the extensive research projects under their monitoring plan they also have implementation plans including biosecurity, communication and education, compliance and monitoring.

They see their role as continuing as follows:
· Facilitation and promotion of integrated management of the Fiordland Marine Area
· Obtaining, sharing and monitoring information on the state of the Fiordland Marine Area
· Assisting management agencies to: prepare and disseminate information about the
Fiordland Marine Area, including educational material
· Monitoring the state of the marine environment and biological diversity in the Fiordland
Marine Area
· Planning for the enforcement of, and compliance with, the management of the Fiordland
Marine Area
· Reviewing the effectiveness of the management of the Fiordland Marine Area

The Fiordlands Marine Guardians' approach is a fairly good example showing how a bottom-up, community management model can be highly integrated to achieve sustainable environmental outcomes and ensure protection of one of the worlds unique marine environments.

More information can be viewed at: http://www.fmg.org.nz/index.php?p=home