Proposed Values
What are values?
Marlborough Sounds Stream
Values are what is important to you about freshwater.
Understanding what these values are is one of the first steps in ensuring the Proposed Marlborough Environment Plan (PMEP) provides for these freshwater values under the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 (NPSFM).
The NPSFM identifies four compulsory values which must apply to all Freshwater Management Units (FMUs) and Council must assess whether another nine values listed in the NPSFM also apply (see the table below).
Additional values can also be identified by communities and tangata whenua.
Value | Type of Value |
|---|---|
Ecosystem health – includes values which apply to each of the 5 biophysical components of ecosystem health. | Compulsory |
Human contact | Compulsory |
Threatened species | Compulsory |
Mahinga kai | Compulsory |
Natural form and character | Must be considered |
Drinking water supply | Must be considered |
Wai tapu | Must be considered |
Transport and tauranga waka | Must be considered |
Fishing | Must be considered |
Hydro-electric power generation | Must be considered |
Animal drinking water | Must be considered |
Irrigation, cultivation, and production of food and beverages | Must be considered |
Commercial and industrial use | Must be considered |
See Appendix 1A and 1B of the NPSFM for further details on these values.
The NPSFM recognises Māori approach freshwater management in a different way. Council is working with the nine tangata whenua Iwi within Marlborough to identify specific Māori freshwater values. These values will also be incorporated into the council’s planning and decision-making processes to ensure they are provided for.
What have we heard so far from the community?
In our first round of community engagement, we asked what you valued about freshwater and received almost 400 comments relating to values. Around 20% of these were values applied across the whole Marlborough region, an additional 13% related specifically to the Marlborough Sounds Complex FMU.
Combining these values with existing values, for example with those recognised in the Proposed Marlborough Environment Plan, other sources of information relating to values and active restoration projects, fourteen key values have been identified by the community so far for the Marlborough Sounds Complex FMU.
- Ecosystem Health – Healthy freshwater ecosystems sustaining indigenous aquatic life expected in the absence of human disturbance or alteration.
- Human Contact – Waterbodies support people being able to connect with the water through a range of activities, including swimming in the Waitohi River, paddling, mahinga kai and food gathering and exploring. The quality of freshwater entering into the coastal marine environment in the many bays of the Marlborough Sounds does not affect people being able to undertake a range of water-based activities in the coastal marine area, including swimming, paddling, kayaking, paddle boarding, boating, water skiing, fishing and mahinga kai and food gathering.
- Threatened Species – Critical habitats and ecosystem health necessary to support the presence, abundance, survival, and recovery of a population threatened species. Species specifically identified for the Marlborough Sounds Complex FMU – further information to come.
- Mahinga Kai – Kai is safe to harvest and eat and the mauri of the place is intact for rivers, streams, wetlands and coastal marine areas, being receiving environments.Tuna (eels) from Moawhitu lake and wetland on D’Urville Island and watercress in waterbodies such as Ohingaroa Creek.
Mahinga kai generally refers to freshwater species that have traditionally been used as food, tools, or other resources. It also refers to the places those species are found and to the act of catching or harvesting them. Customary resources are available for use, with customary practices able to be exercised to the extent desired, and tikanga and preferred methods able to be practised. Transfer of knowledge can occur about the preparation, storage and cooking of kai. - Natural form and character – The very high natural character of the Waitohi River (excluding urban Picton) and the high natural character of the Graham and Kenepuru Rivers. Waterways contribute to the outstanding landscapes and landforms of the Marlborough Sounds.
- Drinking Water – Part of Picton and Waikawa’s water supply is provided through the Essons Valley water supply in the upper Waitohi River catchment. The main supply for the town is groundwater sourced at Speeds Road located in the adjoining Wairau FMU. Many smaller waterways provide domestic supply through numerous small schemes to communities located throughout the Marlborough Sounds.
- Wai tapu – The Waitohi River and Waikawa Stream have special places in the rohe of Te Atiawa. Moawhitu lake and wetland and the surrounding catchment on D’Urville Island is highly valued by Ngati Koata through long association and history as a place of unique mauri and wairua. Other places where rituals and ceremonies are performed, or where there is special significance to tangata whenua.
- Fishing – Whitebaiting at the mouth of various Sounds streams such as those around Okiwi Bay.
- Animal Drinking Water – Water quality and quantity meets the needs of farmed animals, including being palatable and safe.
- Irrigation / Cultivation / Production of Food and Beverages – Water quantity is suitable for irrigation needs, including supporting the cultivation of food and beverage crops, the production of food from farmed animals, non-food crops such as fibre, and pasture.
- Commercial and Industrial Use – Water quality and quantity can provide for commercial and industrial activities providing economic opportunities for people, business and industries.
- Recreation and Amenity – Recreational activities can take place adjacent to waterways, that do not involve direct water immersion, including walking, cycling, picnicking, camping and enjoying the Marlborough Sounds’ natural environment.
- Access – Public access to rivers and streams close to communities such as the Waitohi River, along walking routes including the Queen Charlotte Track and in the many popular bays like White’s and Ngākuta Bays.
- Education – The Waitohi River has educational value for stream studies and learning.
The second round of engagement sort to confirm these values and ensure that there were no other values that needed to be identified. The freshwater policy team will use this second round of feedback to firm up each FMUs community freshwater values.
Next steps
Marlborough Sounds Stream at White’s Bay
In order to provide for the values identified there are several other steps that we need to take;
1. Linking each value with an environmental outcome.
An environmental outcome is what success looks like for a value. If an environmental outcome is reached and/or maintained, then a value is being provided for successfully. For information on environmental outcomes and to see what we have proposed for the Marlborough Sounds Complex FMU see below:
Go to the Marlborough Sounds Complex FMU Proposed Environmental Outcomes page
2. Assign a way to measure how successfully each value is being provided for.
We can do this using a measurable characteristic known as an attribute. These measures or attributes can be numerical or narrative or a combination of both. There can be multiple measures or attributes for a single value and different values may share some attributes.
By measuring and monitoring these attributes against targets we can track our progress towards its environmental outcome.
Like values, the NPSFM provides some compulsory attributes that must be measured in Appendix 2A and B, but other attributes may also be identified.
Council is currently working on identify these other attributes.
