WWF-New Zealand is proud to support Te Kohuroa Rewilding this year via its Community Conservation Fund in partnership with the Tindall Foundation.
The project’s core goal is to restore the rocky reef habitat and the health of the marine ecosystem at Te Kohuroa Matheson Bay reserve through hands-on conservation activities that support coastal resilience.
Due to the effects of overfishing, kina, also known as sea urchins, have become overpopulated. This has contributed to the formation of ‘barren zones’ and a decline of kelp forests at Te Kohuroa.
“It’s been very encouraging to observe significant regrowth of kelp forests in the twelve months since we began our restoration process. This demonstrates just how resilient the ecosystem can be when balance is restored,” says Community Coordinator, Callie Shelley.
The project actively works with the community to map kelp restoration sites and harvest kina, thanks to a special permit from the Ministry of Primary Industries. The team then shares kina collected during the dives with the local community.
The permit allows the project to harvest kina with the hope that this will support regrowth of the kelp beds and increase habitat for tāmure / snapper and koura /rock lobster.
The project team is also undertaking rocky shore surveys to support local iwi Ngāti Manuhiri’s application for a temporary closure of Auckland coastline to help protect the moana and give it time to recover. These surveys provide valuable monitoring data to inform local decision-making.
Earlier this year, Te Kohuroa Rewilding was a finalist for the Tangata Tiaki/Kaitiaki Award, at the Seafood Sustainability and Innovation Awards, which celebrates people and organisations demonstrating strong environmental guardianship for our moana.
The WWF Community Conservation Fund supports local communities to run projects that conserve and restore Aotearoa’s natural environment, while also educating New Zealanders about its importance.