8. Indigenous Biodiversity Volume One There are also a variety of marine organisms that can be introduced by transport into our marine environment by ships (including the discharge of ballast water), oil rigs, barges and other boat. Regardless of whether or not these pest organisms are exotic, there is the potential for displacement of native species if the introduced organisms are not kept to a minimum. This could otherwise have a significant impact on Marlborough’s indigenous biodiversity. Despite the extensive length and physical size of Marlborough’s coastline, many marine habitats and species are fragile and vulnerable to impact. The increasing use of the coastal environment for recreational, cultural and commercial activities leads to a corresponding increase in the potential for adverse effects on marine biodiversity. Unfortunately, it is difficult to determine all of the significant marine values due to the size of the area and difficulties associated with surveying subtidal marine areas, although techniques for assessing marine biodiversity are constantly improving and evolving. Objective 8.1 – Marlborough’s remaining indigenous biodiversity in terrestrial, freshwater and coastal environments is protected. As there has been considerable loss of indigenous biodiversity in Marlborough, it is important that remaining areas are protected and that their condition is maintained and improved where opportunities arise. Protection in this context should be considered in a broad sense and may include legal protection as well as fencing, active pest control, regulation and improved land management practices. The inclusion of this objective helps to achieve the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2014 (NPSFM), where for both water quantity and quality reasons the protection of the significant values of wetlands is required. This objective also helps to achieve the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement 2010 (NZCPS) where there is specific direction to protect biological diversity in the coastal environment. This objective also helps to protect indigenous biodiversity as an important component of Marlborough’s natural heritage and gives recognition to central government’s ‘statement of national priorities’ for protecting rare and threatened indigenous biodiversity on private land (June 2007). These priorities are: National Priority 1: To protect indigenous vegetation associated with land environments that have 20 percent or less remaining in indigenous cover. National Priority 2: To protect indigenous vegetation associated with sand dunes and wetlands; ecosystem types that have become uncommon due to human activity. National Priority 3: To protect indigenous vegetation associated with ‘originally rare’ terrestrial ecosystem types not already covered by priorities 1 and 2. National Priority 4: To protect habitats of threatened and declining indigenous species. Matters of national importance in Section 6(a) and 6(c) of the RMA require the Council to recognise and provide for the preservation of the natural character of the coastal environment, wetlands, lakes, rivers and their margins, and the protection of areas of significant indigenous vegetation and significant habitats of indigenous fauna. These matters help to protect biodiversity as important components of Marlborough’s natural heritage. 8 – 4