8.5 Where to from here?

The following are key areas to continue improving coastal water quality in Northland:

· Continue to build on the frequency and number of Northland's estuarine and harbour sites that are regularly monitored.

· Continue to improve integrated management of the coastal environment between different agencies and focus on catchment management – improving water quality and addressing cumulative discharges in the entire catchment is likely to have the most benefit for coastal water quality. This includes developing better strategies for reducing adverse impacts of land use, particularly sediment and nutrient run-off.

· Continue developing and promoting best practice – particularly in relation to sewage disposal. This is supported by the current development of a sewage accord for Northland.

· Stock exclusion from the coastal marine area.

· Implement routine virus monitoring of shellfish at selected sites in Northland. At this stage monthly sampling at four sites in the Bay of Islands is being proposed.