Author(s): Raewyn Peart

Natural History | Law | Ecology

New Zealand is a maritime nation, settled by some of the greatest seafaring peoples in the world. The country's ocean area is vast and has abundant marine life and mineral resources. New Zealanders are passionate about their coasts and oceans. New Zealand has been a world leader in some aspects of ocean management, and in other critical areas it has fallen behind. This publication makes a major contribution to the debate on how New Zealand could better manage its oceans. It reviews international thinking about oceans governance. It looks at how Australia, Canada and the USA have developed national oceans policies and assesses New Zealand's performance in light of this overseas experience. It sets out what a world leading oceans governance system for New Zealand might look like and how an oceans policy might help the country to get there. Raewyn Peart is a senior policy analyst for the Environmental Defence Society and is also the author of "A Place to Stand: The Protection of New Zealand's Natural and Cultural Landscapes", "The Community Guide to Coastal Development Under the Resource Management Act 1991" and "Landscape Planning Guide for Peri-urban and Rural Areas".