Perspectives on effects-based management of New Zealand exclusive economic zone resources

Adoption of effects-based management, environmental effects-based management (EEM) or ‘learn as we go, is essential to open up access to all of New Zealand’s Maritime Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) resource base into the future. Utilising knowledge gained from ‘learn as we go’ and combining it with the integration of sectarian agendas and establishment of a central government EEZ agency empowered by an Act of Parliament will ensure future food and energy security is met. To achieve this integration of environmental effects management with security of access and stakeholder buy in is needed. Government hierarchies should not limit integration under EEM, policy should be non-separatist, and regions should be defined using ocean zoning. Future food and energy security can then be thought of in terms of environmental carrying capacity, moving away from regimes overly focussed on regulating for development. Ocean zoning could be used to assign property rights, with all activities subject to EEM regulation and enforcement of adaptive environmental standards through a central government EEZ Ocean Affairs agency. An overarching strategy to provide a framework guiding the development of New Zealand’s EEZ organisational infrastructure and decision making is needed to achieve this.