Proposed Environmental Outcomes

Proposed Environmental Outcomes for the Te Hoiere / Pelorus FMU

Thirteen values have currently been identified for the Te Hoiere / Pelorus FMU. Combining those values with the visions and aspirations gathered in the first round of community engagement, the following environmental outcomes are currently proposed for the Te Hoiere / Pelorus FMU.

1. Ecosystem Health – The five biophysical components that contribute to freshwater ecosystem health are managed.
   1. Water quality – Freshwater quality supports and sustains healthy waterbodies and their freshwater ecosystems.
   2. Water quantity – Waterbody flows and levels, including variability, supports and sustains healthy waterbodies and their freshwater ecosystems.
   3. Habitat – The extent, form and structure of waterbodies including their bed, banks and margins are maintained, protected and enhanced, including riparian vegetation. Restoring, retaining and maintaining connections to and between channels, floodplain, wetlands and groundwater including refuges to enable recolonisation following disturbance.
   4. Aquatic Life – Waterbodies and their margins support and sustain abundant, healthy and diverse biota, including microbes, invertebrates, plants, fish and birds. Indigenous ecosystems are thriving, and populations are resilient to disturbance including changing climatic patterns.
   5. Ecological Processes – Healthy functioning ecological process occur in waterbodies and their margins, including primary production, nutrient cycling, trophic connectivity as well as life cycle functions such as feeding, migration, reproduction.
2. Human contact - Waterbodies can be enjoyed and are safe for people to connect with through a range of recreational activities, including swimming, paddling, tubing, kayaking, boating, fishing, mahinga kai and food gathering.
3. Threatened Species – Habitats of threatened species and conditions necessary to support the presence, abundance, survival, and recovery are protected and improved. Habitats for species identified for the Te Hoiere / Pelorus FMU are protected and enhanced.
4. Mahinga kai – Kai is safe to harvest and eat and the mauri of the place is intact. 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 including the species / resource location, harvesting, preparation, storage and cooking of kai.
5. Natural form and character – The very high natural character of the Upper Te Hoiere / Pelorus River and the Wakamarina River is protected.
6. Drinking water – Groundwater quality and quantity from the Kaituna and Rai River catchments are sufficient for water to be taken and used for drinking water supply for Havelock and the Rai Valley communities with minimal treatment to meet Drinking Water Standards. Allocation of water for domestic and community water supplies is prioritised over other water uses.
7. Wai tapu – Places where rituals and ceremonies are performed, or where there is special significance to tangata whenua are free from human and animal waste, contaminants and excess sediment. The features and unique properties of the wai and identified taonga in the wai are protected.
8. Fishing – Where trout and salmon are present, habitat is suitable, including minimum flows, and they are safe to it. Waterbodies free of introduced fish species are protected and remain this way with native species thriving.
9. Animal Drinking water – Drinking water for farmed animals is safe and palatable, being available to meets the needs of farmed animals, including allocation during droughts to provide for animal welfare.
10. Irrigation / Cultivation / Production of food and beverages – Within waterbody and freshwater ecosystem limits, water is available to support irrigation needs for the cultivation of food and beverage crops, the production of food from farmed animals, non-food crops such as fibre, and pasture.
11. Commercial and Industrial use – Water quality is suitable for commercial and industrial use activities, with allocation related to efficient use requirements supporting economic opportunities for people, business and industries, within waterbody and ecosystem limits.
12. Recreation and Amenity – The outstanding natural features and landscape of the Upper Te Hoiere / Pelorus River and the Wakamarina River are protected. Waterbodies are desirable to be close to and access to waterbody margins is maintained and enhanced, supporting a range of opportunities for recreational activities to take place close to waterbodies, including walking, biking, camping, picnicking, and four-wheel driving, except in circumstances where public health and safety, ecological or cultural values are at risk.
13. Access – Public access to waterbodies and their margins easily accessible to the community including Te Hoiere / Pelorus River at Pelorus Bridge and Totara Flat, the Wakamarina River and the Motuweka Estuary, is maintained and enhanced, subject to landowner permission if access over private land is required and except in circumstances where public health and safety, ecological or cultural values are at risk.

Environmental outcomes, values and visions are all interlinked. A table showing these linkages is below: