On 24 May 2025, foilers from across Aotearoa will gather at The Royal Akarana Yacht Club for Foil4TheGulf, New Zealand’s largest ever foiling event. Organised by the Black Foils (New Zealand’s SailGP team) and the Live Ocean Foundation (founded by Peter Burling and Blair Tuke), the event is designed to send a powerful message: we must act now to protect the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana.
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But behind the PR buzz, media articles and foil counts, Foil4TheGulf is about more than flashy stunts or setting records. It’s about drawing national attention to a piece of legislation that could—if it gains traction—help restore one of our most degraded coastal marine environments. That Bill is the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill (which addresses marine environments beyond the Hauraki Gulf) and right now, it’s stalled in Parliament.
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As boaters, we can’t afford to treat this as someone else’s issue. If you cruise the Gulf, fish the inner islands, or simply care about healthy marine ecosystems, the health of Tīkapa Moana may well affect your lifestyle and livelihood. The foiling event is a great platform, but it’s the Bill that deserves the closer look.
What the Bill proposes
The Marine Protection Bill would almost triple the protected areas in the Gulf from just over 6% to around 18%. It proposes:
- 2 marine reserve extensions: Goat Island and Cathedral Cove would expand, offering complete ‘no take’ protection from surface to seafloor.
- 12 High Protection Areas (HPAs): These would prohibit most fishing and seabed disturbance while allowing for customary Māori fishing and active habitat restoration.
- 5 Seafloor Protection Areas (SPAs): These would ban damaging practices like bottom trawling, dredging and mining but allow low-impact activities such as line fishing or careful anchoring.
These tools aim to strike a balance—restoring biodiversity, supporting customary practices, and maintaining access for low-impact recreation. It’s not a blanket lockout. It’s a targeted, science-informed approach.
So why has the Bill stalled?
The Bill passed its first reading and select committee stage but has been stuck ahead of its second reading since late 2023. Part of the delay is political; parts of the fishing industry are resistant, arguing the proposed protections go too far. Others argue the Bill doesn’t go far enough. Some iwi groups support it, others are cautious. It’s a complex piece of legislation sitting in a fraught political environment.
Could the Bill be better?
Of course. There are valid critiques. Some conservationists want more areas fully protected. Others question how monitoring and enforcement will be funded. Commercial operators want more certainty about how the rules will apply in practice.
But perfect cannot be the enemy of progress. This is the most ambitious marine protection proposal the Hauraki Gulf has ever seen. It’s built on years of research, consultation, and negotiation. It’s a necessary first step. Delaying it further is not in anyone’s interest—least of all the marine species whose survival depends on habitat recovery.
Why Kiwi boaters should back it
Let’s be clear: this isn’t about politics. It’s about protecting the waters we love. Whether you launch out of Gulf Harbour, moor at Rakino, dive the Noises, or enjoy recreational fishing and boating further afield, the Bill directly impacts your marine backyard.
Supporting Foil4TheGulf is a chance to show that we, as boaters, care about more than just access—we care about legacy. We want our kids to fish healthy reefs. We want to navigate clean waters. We want our coastlines teeming with life, not struggling to recover from decades of damage.
So take a moment. Learn about the Bill. Attend the event if you can; hire a Foil for the day if you need to, or simply turn up to show your support. Write to your MP. Speak up in favour of marine protection that works for people and ecosystems alike.
