Have your say on Let's protect our environment - early consultation

Cats are much loved companions and family members in many households. At the same time, they are one of the many pressures facing threatened native species.

Around the region, iwi, hapū, communities and agencies are working hard to protect shorebirds and other threatened species from other threats such as rats and stoats, but cat predation continues to cause harm.  

Responsible cat ownership measures such as desexing, microchipping, collars, and keeping cats at home on their property are good for cat welfare, including protecting them from overpopulation, neglect, traffic accidents, dogs and other hazards. These same measures also help protect our wildlife.  

We already partner with the SPCA and local vets to provide free desexing and microchipping to communities living near threatened species sites.

We want your feedback on whether we should use rules to require responsible cat ownership measures in certain circumstances, in addition to our current approach to promoting responsible cat ownership. Increasingly, councils across Aotearoa/New Zealand and around the world are putting in place rules to help ensure every cat is well cared for, with owners keeping them safe and happy at home away from threatened wildlife. These measures also make it easier to identify and return lost cats, helping to ensure their safety and well-being.

We also want your feedback on whether council should invest more in providing financial support to assist people who cannot afford to desex their cats.

For more information on this topic, read our full consultation materials.

To see which areas of Auckland will be considered within 1km of known threatened species habitat (cat sensitive priority areas), see map 1.

What is your opinion on the following potential cat management interventions for the locations identified below?

In 2016, the government unveiled a vision to eradicate rats, stoats, and possums nationwide by 2050. Since then, communities across Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa have made significant strides in controlling these introduced predators.

Offshore islands and peninsulas are pivotal in this effort, as once predators have been removed, they are highly defendable against reinvasion.

More than half of the islands in the Tikapa Moana / Moana nui o Toi / the Hauraki Gulf are already free from introduced mammals, serving as sanctuaries for threatened species. Wildlife such as kākā are also increasingly common on islands such as Waiheke, as a result of pest control by mana whenua, communities and agencies. It's essential for all of us to play a part when visiting pest free islands, ensuring we do not inadvertently transport stowaways, like rats or mice, in our vehicles or gear.

We want your feedback on what comes next for our regional contribution towards the national Predator Free 2050 vision. 

For more information on this topic, read our full consultation materials.

Our marine environment is under pressure from introduced species such as Mediterranean fanworm and Asian paddle crabs. Once established, marine species are very difficult to control, so the best approach is to prevent them reaching new places. We all have a part to play, whether we are using our marine environment for work or play, in making sure we are not spreading marine pests with us as we go. To support this, our current rules / plan require vessel hulls to be kept clean, which reduces the risk of pests moving to new locations.

However, our current approach does not include rules requiring anchors, chains and other gear to be kept clean.  In 2021, exotic caulerpa seaweed was discovered at Aotea / Great Barrier Island, the first time it had been found in the country. Caulerpa seaweed is mainly spread by getting tangled on anchor chains and other gear.

We want your feedback on whether we should introduce a rule requiring anchors, chains and other gear to be clean of visible dirt, seaweed and animals before moving to a new location.

For more information on this topic, read our full consultation materials.

Our lakes, streams and wetlands face many challenges, such as habitat loss, pollution from excess nutrients like nitrogen, sediment build up, and changes in water levels and flow patterns. On top of these, invaders such as koi carp fish and hornwort weed are also a big problem in our waterways.

Like marine species, introduced freshwater species are very difficult to control once they arrive, so preventing further spread is very important. Whether we are going for a swim, kayaking on a lake, or shooting ducks, we all have a part to play in preventing the spread of freshwater species that can contaminate our gear and the next location we visit. 

Currently, we control existing introduced species such as hornwort and rudd at two of the region’s highest ecological value lakes, Tomarata and Rototoa, to protect and restore native species such as kākahi / freshwater mussels.

We want your feedback on whether we should also control freshwater pests at more of our region’s 72 lakes. 

For more information on this topic, read our full consultation materials.

Extreme weather events cause significant damage to communities and ecosystems, like we saw across Tāmaki Makaurau in 2023. In these conditions, weeds can take advantage of the chaos, spreading to new areas via wind and floodwaters, and quickly dominating areas stripped bare by the storms.

We already contribute to climate resilience and mitigation through a variety of biodiversity protection programmes. And through Te Tāruke a Tawhiri Auckland’s Climate Plan, we’ve also recognised the importance of pest management in both climate mitigation and resilience.

However, as extreme weather events become more frequent, our natural environment is being increasingly impacted by pests and diseases.

For more information on this topic, read our full consultation materials.