The Kaipara Moana He Mahere Rautaki Whakakotahi Integrated Strategic Plan of Action 2011-2021 indicates the use of spatial planning across the Kaipara harbour and catchment. Particulary in response to promote integrated management, collaborative planning, addressing ongoing degradation of ecological, social, cultural and economic values of the Kaipara.
Marine spatial planning (MSP) is a bit of a buzzword amongst planners and managers, but it really is an old concept. It includes ocean zoning and dates back at least 30 years to the zoning of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) & World Heritage Area. It was recently re-zoned using a prioritisation approach and GIS technology with mathematical algorithms. This was a move towards integrated ecosystem-based management to improve representative protection of all coral reef and non-coral reef ecosystems. Multiple uses are allowed in the GBRMP that incorporates zones for marine protection and no-take, general fishing zones, no-trawling & dredging zones etc..
I see that the Auckland Vision Committee is meeting on Tuesday 7th Feb 2012, to hear the proposal to establish a Tikapa Moana Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan Governance Options (http://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/EN/AboutCouncil/meetings_agendas/committees/Pages/aucklandfuturevisioncommittee.aspx).
What this means for the Kaipara Harbour is touched on in the proposal. All the right words, principles, benefits, challenges, partnerships and outcomes are indicated. It should be commended to Auckland Council staff for ensuring a mana whenua theme came through the proposal in order to connect with Matauranga Maori and processes. Again the test will be in outcomes.
Your thoughts on all this?
Thanks, Leane
Integrated Kaipara Harbour Management Group 
Congratulations, a great achievement to get a complex, multistakholder plan, like this, all agreed and signed off. I agree that Marine Spatial Planning is a buzzword, designed to highlight an important distinction. However, we have had provision for this in NZ legislation since the mid-1970s maritime planning, and the current version in Northland is mainly in the 2004 Regional Coastal Plan with 8 different zones and rule sets. Less well known is the fishery management zoning under the Fisheries Act and regulations. Although the Bay of Islands area has 11 different zones, for example, the Kaipara has only two. (see Froude (2004) published by DoC’s Marine Consevation Unit). The boundaries and implicit objectives are completely un-aligned with those in the Regional Coastal Plan. The challenge is to highlight the REAL gaps in integrated planning, between fisheries extraction/aquaculture planning and marine/coastal habitat planning, and between catchment planning and coastal planning. Good luck with that. Let us know if we can help.