Estuarine and marine habitats of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park defined according to the Marine Protected Areas: Classification, Protection Standard and Implementation Guidelines (MFish & DOC 2008).

The substrate data layer was produced by combining data on soft sediments produced by MetOcean Solutions Ltd. and rocky reefs mapped by Waikato Regional Council and Auckland Council. Nine sediment types were initially defined according to the Folk sediment classification system. These were then grouped into intertidal soft sediment, mud, mud and sandy mud (mud), sand and muddy sand (sand), sand and rocky reef, to give better alignment with the habitat types recognised in the MPA Policy guidelines (MFish & DOC 2008).

Exposure classifications are estuarine, very sheltered, sheltered, Moderate exposed and high tidal current. Very sheltered, sheltered and moderately exposed categories were defined according to mean annual significant wave height; 0-0.499m, 0.5 – 0.999m, 1-1.8 m respectively.

No information on subtidal biogenic habitats was used in the analyses because this information was considered incomplete. Estuarine vegetation was mapped using all available information on intertidal vegetation held by Auckland Council, Waikato Regional Council, Department of Conservation, National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., Landcare Research and Land Information New Zealand.

Within estuaries only intertidal and subtidal depth categories were used. In the marine environment depth categories used were: intertidal (Mean High Water Springs-Mean Low Water Springs), intertidal – 30 m, 30 m – 200 m, and greater than 200 m (Jackson 2014).

References:

Jackson, E.S. 2014. Prioritision of Areas in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park for Biodiversity Conservation M.Sc. thesis, Marine Science, University of Auckland. 112 pp.

Ministry of Fisheries, Department of Conservation 2008. Marine Protected Areas: Classification, Protection Standard and Implementation Guidelines. Ministry of Fisheries, Wellington, New Zealand. 54 pp.

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