Suspicious fishing in the Kāpiti Marine Reserve this month has seen renewed calls from the community for the Department of Conservation (DOC) to better respond to incidents on the water.
"It probably will surprise many New Zealanders to know that Kāpiti Island is managed without a boat here on the coast. The boat's based down at Mana (Porirua)," Guardians of the Kāpiti Marine Reserve chairman Ben Knight told 1News.
"What we don't have is the boat up here to respond directly and so that's an ongoing challenge for Kāpiti Marine Reserve and it's a shame that in the 30th anniversary of the marine reserve that we should still be dealing with what are pretty fundamental management provisions."
Six incidents have been reported this month.
DOC says the Government agency did respond to the incidents, but did not travel by boat to the scene.
"We entered that in our compliance system, and we also had a ranger on the island at the time and she went down and got some photos of boats that were reasonably close," DOC Kāpiti-Wellington operations manager Angus Hulme-Moir said.
Knight said he told another boat to move on from fishing inside the reserve in front of DOC's base on the island on Saturday.
"Which to me is a little bit embarrassing for the local team that they've got people fishing right on their front doorstep right in the heart of the marine reserve and are unable to respond."
The Guardians installed webcams on the island in recent years to capture footage of incidents to aid in responding.
The volunteer group said the evidence gathered since then shows why a Kāpiti-based DOC boat is required, but DOC says that's not necessary.
"You target your efforts where you get the most benefit and that's with the 99% of Kiwis who want to observe and protect and value those places," DOC's Hulme-Moir said.
He said a marine ranger is carrying out compliance for marine reserves in the wider Wellington region, more markers will be in place on Kāpiti Island to help people understand where the marine reserve is in the next couple of years, and next summer, the aim is to increase boat patrols in the area.
"Boats are incredibly expensive … and when we have people on those boats we have to have two people, a warranted officer and the pilot and we're currently in the process of training another pilot. It's a very time-consuming process," Hulme-Moir said.
"Our focus for that compliance will be on being seen, so they'll be proactive."
Knight said DOC gave an undertaking to Kāpiti’s community when the marine reserve was established in 1992 that adequate compliance would be provided, but feels that hasn't been met.
"I think the thing that the local team need to remember and also [Conservation Minister Kiri Allan] needs to remember is people gave up inter-generational fishing spots, really important places and knowledge to support the marine reserve and the kaupapa behind it of enhancing the wider marine area.
"It's not a commitment that people took lightly."
SHARE ME