News

In 2019, an Estuarine Vulnerability Assessment (EVA) was carried out by Robertson Environmental to guide the development of a new estuary monitoring programme.
To provide a representative assessment, 20 sites were included. This included the region’s larger estuaries north and south of the ring plain, as well as a number of smaller
stream mouths where tidal intrusion was marginal but may occasionally occur. Three main outputs were provided for each estuary: a habitat map, a vulnerability rating and
recommendations for future monitoring.

Overall vulnerability to the effects of sedimentation and eutrophication was determined to be ‘high’ in five estuaries, ‘moderate to high’ in another five, ‘moderate’ in nine and ‘minimal’ in one. Where the vulnerability of an estuary was ‘high’ or ‘moderate to high’, this was largely due to the effects of sedimentation rather than eutrophication. This was the case for seven of the 20 estuaries assessed, namely. Mōhakatino, Tongaporutu, Urenui, Mimitangiatua, Waitara, Pātea and Waitōtara.

Vulnerability to sedimentation was generally attributed to high sediment loads from the catchment, and the high proportion of soft mud cover in the estuary that was mapped during the condition assessment. Eutrophication was considered less of an issue. What we know in these estuaries due to them being well flushed, with no primary symptoms such as macroalgae and/or phytoplankton blooms identified during the condition assessments.

Vulnerability to eutrophication effects was ‘moderate to high’ for three estuaries, the Whenuakura, Oakura and Katikara. The latter two were the only estuaries where
symptoms of eutrophication, in the form of phytoplankton blooms, were recorded. Other estuaries, such as the Whenuakura, were considered susceptible to eutrophication
due to large areas of intertidal habitat which can support macroalgal blooms, high catchment nutrient loads, and where they were poorly flushed or restricted at the mouth.

To read more about estuaries in general and detail about the results of the survey go here (PDF, 287.5 KB).

The Marsden Bank and Mair Bank temporary closure to the take of all shellfish comes into effect today, Wednesday, 29 June 2022. It will end on Friday, 28 June 2024. The closure is made pursuant to section 186A of the Fisheries Act 1996.

Shellfish means and includes all species of the phylum Echinodermata and phylum Mollusca and all species of the
class Crustacea at any stage of their life history, whether living or dead.

More information.

Mount Maunganui’s coast looks very different now from 60 years ago due to coastal restoration efforts that started in earnest in the mid nineties.

Coast Care Regional Coordinator Russell Knutson talks to Scoop in this inspiring article.

https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK2206/S00262/value-of-dune-planting-and-restoration-easy-to-see-at-mount-maunganui-beach.htm

Many seabirds get disorientated by artificial lights at night, which can lead to collisions with vessels (vessel strikes).

Following vessel strikes, seabirds can be contaminated with chemicals on deck, such as oil or fuel. This causes loss of waterproofing and subsequent drowning.

Vessel strikes can also cause direct seabird deaths. The risk of vessel strike is highest during foggy and rainy nights.

A guide on how to mitigate this risk is on the DOC website.

Photo by Johannes Fischer

At a staff meeting amongst his colleagues at Christchurch City Council, Jason Roberts received our Pīngao & Toheroa Award.

Jason has been a stalwart of coastal restoration in the Christchurch area for many many years. He has been to many of our conferences and has also run very entertaining quiz evenings during our conference dinners. When we ran the conference in Christchurch in 2017 he was the main organiser.

Here is an article that was published on Inside Government.

Photo: Lyle Mason (CRT trustee), Jason and Greg Bennett (CRT trustee)