27 June 2008 - To help safeguard New Zealand's ocean ecosystems, the government is drafting legislation to manage the environmental effects of currently unregulated activities in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Environment Minister Trevor Mallard announced today.

"The oceans around New Zealand are a hugely important resource. This new regime will help safeguard them while providing greater certainty for industries that operate in the EEZ and encouraging investment in sustainable offshore activities.

"We need to prepare for new activities in the EEZ and fill the gaps in environmental controls for existing activities there," Trevor Mallard said.

"Where the environmental effects of activities are already regulated, they will not be covered by the new EEZ legislation. Existing laws for fisheries and maritime transport, for example, will continue to operate largely as at present.

The legislation will set out a new rules and consents regime for the EEZ. New controls are proposed to manage currently unregulated environmental effects of existing activities (such as disturbance of the seafloor through mining and petroleum activities) and the effects of new activities in the EEZ in future (such as marine farming, energy generation, carbon capture and storage).

The existing regime for allocating minerals and petroleum will stay the same, but the environmental effects of those activities will be regulated under the new EEZ regime. The legislation will also address conflicts between new and existing activities in the EEZ.

An 'EEZ Commissioner' will head a new unit, housed within the Ministry for the Environment, which will process applications for consents, and manage monitoring and enforcement of the new regime.

"The legislation will also enable stakeholders to have input into decisions about activities in the EEZ, including specific processes for Maori engagement," Trevor Mallard said.

"I would like to thank the many people involved in shaping the proposals to this stage. The proposals significantly reflect input and feedback from a range of stakeholders and iwi groups."

The Exclusive Economic Zone Environmental Effects Bill is expected to be introduced by late August. The Cabinet paper, question and answers, the discussion document and the summary of submissions are at www.mfe.govt.nz/oceans.