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Sea Change for Hauraki

Thursday 26/04/2018

Waters that once shimmered with vast schools of trevally and snapper, and reefs that bristled with crayfish, are now overfished. Bottom trawling continues to destroy the seabed, leaving behind an underwater desert. Every time it rains, sewage, heavy metals and mud flow into the gulf from our cities, farms, and industries, making it unswimmable for humans and increasingly harmful to the wildlife that lives in it. With a rapidly growing population, we urgently need better ways of managing our impact on the marine environment.” - Forest and Bird is leading the charge toward restoring the Hauraki Gulf, Tīkapa Moana.

Much of Auckland’s identity is embodied by these waters. They surround many of our idyllic islands and are home to a wonderfully diverse population of bird and marine life. Every summer we populate beaches from Whangaparaoa and the North Shore right around the coast to Colville Bay in the Coromandel. Protecting this privilege requires more than goodwill. We need bold policy that addresses the key contributors to pollution and over-fishing; policy that recognises the importance of Hauraki as a clean, safe and plentiful resource. Protection of this precious region is an environmental, spiritual and financial no-brainer. For more info and to sign up to the campaign, visit forestandbird.org.nz/campaigns/sea-change

You can also come along to the Hibiscus Coast branch of Forest and Bird to join a discussion on the future of the Gulf at 7.45pm on Tuesday May 1st.

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