Monitoring framework for the Waikato coastal marine area: Report 1 - Rationale and key elements
Report: TR 2015/38
Author: Barrie Forrest & Chris Cornelisen (Cawthron Institute)
About this report
This is one of three reports that present a framework for regional environmental monitoring in the coastal marine area (CMA), with particular emphasis on supporting more effective environmental monitoring of consented activities.
The main objectives of this framework are integration of state of the environment (SOE) and consent-related environmental monitoring, alignment of interests (relevant information for industry, council and communities), consistency (within region, among activities and, where possible, national), cost-effectiveness, certainty (providing clear guidance to consent applicants) and better management of cumulative effects in the consent process.
Report 1 (TR 2015/38) outlines the framework. Aquaculture was chosen as the first case study for this framework, and reports 2 and 3 (TR 2015/39 and TR 2015/40) apply the framework to current and future aquaculture activities in the Waikato region.
More specifically:
Report 1: Monitoring framework (TR 2015/38)
Presents the rationale and key elements of a regional monitoring framework that integrates monitoring associated with consented activities and wider SOE monitoring.
Report 2: Regional guidance on priority issues and monitoring (TR 2015/39)
Covers the ecological effects of aquaculture in the Waikato CMA and identifies the priority issues that need to be addressed through industry best practice and reporting, and/or through monitoring of effects.
Report 3: Monitoring methodologies and standards (TR 2015/40)
Recommends methodologies and standards for monitoring the seabed, water column and the wider environment in relation to the potential effects of aquaculture.
The focus of the work to date was on developing the framework and developing guidance to support future application to aquaculture. These three reports propose conceptual approaches for standards that can be developed over time as more data becomes available and as individual consents are addressed.
Waikato Regional Council commissioned the Cawthron Institute to prepare these three reports. We acknowledge the support from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Aquaculture Planning Fund.
Read or download the report
| Contents | |
| 1 | Introduction |
| 1.1 | Background |
| 1.2 | Report scope and objectives |
| 2 | Stressors impacting on the CMA |
| 2.1 | Overview |
| 2.2 | The issue of cumulative effects |
| 3 | Purpose of environmental monitoring and reporting |
| 4 | Present monitoring in the Waikato coastal marine area |
| 4.1 | Introduction |
| 4.2 | Consented activities and associated monitoring in the coastal marine area |
| 4.3 | State of the environment monitoring in the coastal marine area |
| 4.4 | Limitations of existing coastal monitoring efforts |
| 5 | Regional monitoring framework |
| 5.1 | Introduction |
| 5.2 | Elements of a regional monitoring framework |
| 5.2.1 | Part 1: Define environmental quality and policy planning goals |
| 5.2.2 | Part 2: Assess actual or potential effects on the coastal marine area |
| 5.2.3 | Part 3: Develop consent monitoring requirements and alignment with state of the environment |
| 5.2.4 | Part 4: Develop monitoring programme |
| 5.2.5 | Part 5: Implement monitoring and assess performance |
| 5.2.6 | Part 6: Report, review, communicate and respond |
| 5.3 | Benefits of an integrated regional approach |
| 6 | Concluding remarks |
| 7 | Acknowledgements |
| 8 | References |
| 9 | Appendices |
| Appendix 1: Examples of projects currently conducted in New Zealand, relevant to the development of a monitoring framework for Waikato Regional Council | |
| Appendix 2: Proposed changes envisaged by Waikato Regional Council (WRC) for coastal state of the environment (SOE) monitoring | |