Marine Policy Forum making a splash in united front 2pm, today April 18 – Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders

More than 12 speakers on different marine matters, and politicians from six political parties are gathering together tomorrow at the Marine Policy Forum from 2pm at Te Manawa, Westgate, Auckland.

Oceans and marine management are shaping up to be key election year issues.

“The Marine Policy Forum will challenge politicians from across the spectrum to raise their moral ambition and take meaningful action”, says event organiser Christine Rose, from the charity Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders.

Tomorrow’s speakers represent perhaps millions of constituents. They range from recreational fishers, to advocates for the rights of factory farmed fishes. They include those seeking protection of rock pools, to the sea floor. And everything in between; people taking action on single species of birds, dolphins and other marine denizens to whole ecosystems.

The legendary swimmer Jono Ridler, fresh from his swim down the North Island crusading against bottom trawling, will also be there.

“Those present have one thing in common, a concern about poor marine management against a diverse range of threats. They are unified in that diversity, calling on all parties to strengthen ocean protection, not weaken it, as is being proposed by Shane Jones’ Fisheries Act reforms.

Politicians from Labour, National, ACT, the Greens, Opportunity and the Animal Justice Party will be there to hear and respond to the presentations. But NZ First’s Jones failed to reply to invitations to attend.

Rose says, “Oceans reforms are desperately needed, but not in the interests of the fishing or seabed mining industries. We need change in the interests of ocean survival.”