Fisheries New Zealand (FNZ) has consulted on a range of changes to the bycatch reporting requirements for commercial fishers.

Read the Waitangi Tribunal claim by Tangata Marae for numerous treaty breaches at Te Weraiti

With growing awareness of the potential risks associated with specific chemicals found in everyday products, evidence-based regulation of these substances is imperative to safeguarding the health, safety, and well-being of the environment, its people, and our communities. In light of this, ELI recently submitted their recommendations to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) regarding the proposed revisions to the Cosmetic Products Group Standard. Read our full submission here.

Populations of many protected species that inhabit New Zealand’s waters are declining. ELI recently submitted its feedback on DOC’s draft plan for the Conservation Services Programme, which serves as the government’s primary mechanism for understanding and tackling fishing-related risks to protected species. In light of the alarming decline in marine biodiversity and the precarious state of our marine environment, formulating an effective plan to thoroughly investigate and address the effects of fishing on our taonga marine species is critical. Here are our recommendations for improving the draft plan.

Fisheries New Zealand recently sought feedback from tangata whenua and stakeholders on proposed changes to the mandatory seabird mitigation measures applicable to commercial fishers using the surface longlining method of fishing within New Zealand waters. Read about our submission to FNZ on their proposed changes.

ELI is seeking a new Communications Manager to join our team. The role is responsible for leading communications advice and content to further the ELI strategy - to improve environmental laws in Aotearoa New Zealand, and to ensure that existing laws are implemented and enforced.

We’ve initiated legal action against Environment Southland in relation to inadequate monitoring and action on wetland loss in the region. Our litigation makes the case that Environment Southland is failing to meet its monitoring and action duties under the RMA, enabling the continued loss of wetlands in the region, despite strong rules to protect them. Read more here.

The Ministry for the Environment has released its latest report on the state of freshwater in Aotearoa, “Our Freshwater 2023”, which provides an overview of the state of freshwater in Aotearoa, New Zealand. While elements of the report contain strengths, ELI is concerned that the 2023 iteration misses a crucial opportunity to provide a comprehensive assessment of changes in freshwater health over time. Read our brief analysis here.

ELI has submitted comprehensive feedback for the government on the Natural Built and Environment Bill (NBEB) and the Spatial Planning Bill (SPB), both of which are set to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA). The RMA is one of NZ’s most important pieces of legislation – governing what can be built, when, where and how.

MPI recently sought feedback on its guidelines for “identifying habitats of particular significance” for fisheries management. Facing mounting pressure to address the declining health of coastal environments, MPI has claimed that this initiative is one of several to move Aotearoa New Zealand towards ecosystem-based management (EBM) of its fisheries.

ELI welcomes this end-goal, having made our views on the importance of EBM in Aotearoa’s fisheries known, both in court and in our public policy submissions. But we’re equally concerned that these proposals in their current form are unlikely to get us there. Here’s why.

NZ Parliament recently collected feedback on The Companies (Directors Duties) Amendment Bill, which seeks to clarify that company directors can consider a range of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters when making decisions for their company. Read our submission on the Bill here.

Recently, the New Zealand government made changes to the 2020 Freshwater Package after collecting input from the public. The 2020 Freshwater Package was supposed to provide increased protections for wetlands, in line with the government's policy goal of "no further wetland loss." However, following a lengthy consultation process, the government has proceeded with significant changes against recommendations of eNGOs and other concerned groups. Here, we break down what the new policy means and why it is significant.