An announcement by the Government of three new marine reserves in the Sub-Antarctic Islands is seen as not going far enough by World Wildlife Fund New Zealand.
Conservation Minister Kate Wilkinson and Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley said fishing will be banned in more than 435,000 hectares of ocean around the islands, which have World Heritage status.
But WWFNZ executive director Chris Howe says a policy in 2006 to create a network of marine protected areas, has stalled.
He also says 99.9% of New Zealand's marine reserves are in remote areas, leaving many important habitats unprotected.
The Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society of New Zealand says it would have preferred to have seen the Bounties and Campbell Islands also fully protected.
Advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell says restricted trawling will still be allowed in 40% of the waters around the Bounties, and 60% of Campbell Island waters are being left out of the reserve to develop a crab fishery.
