Policy 21: Enhancement of water quality

Where the quality of water in the coastal environment has deteriorated so that it is having a significant adverse effect on ecosystems, natural habitats, or water-based recreational activities, or is restricting existing uses, such as aquaculture, shellfish gathering, and cultural activities, give priority to improving that quality by:

1. identifying such areas of coastal water and water bodies and including them in plans;
2. including provisions in plans to address improving water quality in the areas identified above;
3. where practicable, restoring water quality to at least a state that can support such activities and ecosystems and natural habitats;
4. requiring that stock are excluded from the coastal marine area, adjoining intertidal areas and other water bodies and riparian margins in the coastal environment, within a prescribed time frame; and
5. engaging with tangata whenua to identify areas of coastal waters where they have particular interest, for example in cultural sites, wāhi tapu, other taonga, and values such as mauri, and remedying, or, where remediation is not practicable, mitigating adverse effects on these areas and values.