Monitoring
Regular monitoring is occurring in most of New Zealand's marine reserves. Monitoring has shown that the most dramatic changes to reserves occur within three years of fishing ceasing.
Significant increases in the size and numbers of lobster and fish have been recorded at Cape Rodney-Okakari Point, Te Whanganui-a-Hei, Long Island-Kokomohua, Piopiotahi, Te Awaatu, and Te Tapuwae o Rongokako. At Te Whanganui-a-Hei lobster numbers are 15 times greater than non-reserve areas. At Piopiotahi they are seven times more abundant. At the Tonga the production of lobster eggs is estimated to be nine times greater than outside the reserve.
Diver inspecting mooring lines,
Fiordland Marine Area
At Te Angiangi and Tonga the numbers of lobsters and their size has significantly increased, but fish numbers and their size have remained unchanged. The reason for this remains unclear but at Te Angiangi it is thought that the lack of response by fish may be due to half the reef lying outside the reserve.
The number and size of snapper have increased at the Poor Knights Islands. At Cape Rodney-Okakari Point the number of legal sized snapper is now 28 times that outside the reserve.
Blue cod are significantly larger and more than twice as abundant in the Long Island-Kokomohua Marine Reserve. Lobsters, blue cod and butterfish are reported to be noticeably less wary of divers in the reserve compared to sites outside the reserve.
Research has shown that the Ngā Motu / Sugar Loaf Islands Marine Protected Area has greater abundance and species richness of reef fishes inside compared to the control sites located outside it.
Monitoring has shown that the Tuhua Marine Reserve has had limited consequences for the recovery of targeted reef fish species to date, but its isolated location means control of poaching is an issue.
Habitat changes have been recorded at a number of reserves. Increased rock lobster numbers result in greater predation on kina. This results in seaweed forests then being able to regenerate. Changes such as this have been recorded at Cape Rodney-Okakari Point and Te Whanganui-a-Hei. At the latter reserve algal biomass has been estimated to be over three times greater than outside the reserve.
Generally, the Department's monitoring shows significant increases in marine environmental values within existing marine reserves. You can read more about the results of monitoring in the sections below for each marine reserve.
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