Freshwater Management Units, long-term visions and values

​Freshwater Management Units

The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPSFM) requires us to identify Freshwater Management Units (FMUs), or specific areas to implement our freshwater management approaches.

In Auckland, we propose to have three FMUs based on the three major coastal receiving environments:

• Kaipara FMU
• Hauraki Gulf FMU
• Manukau Harbour FMU

These FMUs are likely to include smaller spatial management units, where specific controls are needed to manage a particular issue or resource.

For example, the Pukekohe Specified Vegetable Growing Area (PSVGA) or drinking water supply catchments.

Get a copy of the proposed Freshwater Management Units for Auckland

Long-term visions

Under the National Objectives Framework, we need to develop long-term visions for freshwater within each FMU.

Long term freshwater visions will include ambitious but achievable goals that represent what mana whenua and communities want.

Freshwater values

There are four compulsory values within the National Objectives Framework that must be identified for each FMU.

We are working with mana whenua and communities to understand how these values uniquely apply to Auckland and Aucklanders.

We may also identify unique Māori freshwater values or other values for specific FMUs.

The four compulsory values are:

Ecosystem health

The extent to which a freshwater body can support a healthy ecosystem, including its:

• water quality
• water quantity
• habitat
• aquatic life
• ecological processes.

Human contact

Being able to use water for activities like swimming, waka, boating, or fishing.

Threatened species

The extent to which a population of threatened species has the critical habitats and conditions to support its presence, abundance, survival, and recovery.

Mahinga kai

Kai is safe to harvest and eat.

Customary resources are available for use, customary practices are able to be exercised, and tikanga is able to be practised.