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Pupils from Worther Bay School have been studying the marine ecosystem around the Seton Worther Bay Rowing Club.
photo: supply
Wellington primary school students are asking the regional council to establish a marine reserve around the Worser Bay Rowing Club for at least the next 10 years.
Students at the Worther Bay school have been studying the impacts of pollution, climate change and overfishing on marine ecosystems and are involved in establishing so-called “blue belt” areas, or marine protected areas, as part of the Moana Mana initiative launched by Yachting New Zealand last year.
They want to create a blue ribbon site around the rowing club so people don’t take fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mollusks, anemones and kelp. But the students are also seeking support to install aquaculture containers and artificial reef structures, as well as a snorkeling trail that would include a series of underwater artworks.
“We’ve learned a lot about marine science,” said Samuel Peachey, a student at Worther Bay School, during Thursday morning’s environment committee meeting.
“We’ve been studying these animals and the environment they live in,” said student Marcia Blackwell.
“We have been working with people from the Worther Bay Yacht Club in the rock pools to learn more about the marine life and its importance to us,” added Peach.
“We also went snorkeling so we could see what was in the sea.”
“We have been testing the water quality in Worther Bay and have used a variety of equipment to help us do that,” said student Alice Nicholson.
“Moana Mana is taking care of the ocean, and we are doing the same.”
Pupils from Worther Bay School have been studying the marine ecosystem around the Seton Worther Bay Rowing Club.
photo: supply
A prototype site has been established at the Worther Bay Rowing Club in Seton as well as ongoing habitat restoration projects such as a seaweed nursery, abalone hatchery, penguin hotel, snorkelling trails and anemone gardens.
Students from Worther Bay School and other schools east of Wellington also worked with scientists from the University of Otago’s New Zealand Marine Research Centre and the Coastal People’s Centre of Excellence for Southern Sky Research to develop and test toolkits for monitoring the Worther Bay site.
Councillor Yadana Saw helped the students make their presentation to other members of the Environment Committee.
“I think one of the most important things about having younger members of the community come and talk to us is I think it helps us remember our commitment to intergenerational solutions and that our work needs to focus on both current citizens and future taxpayers of our region,” she said.
On June 13, 2024, students from Wother Bay School asked the Greater Wellington Regional Council to help them with the next steps for the “Moanamana” project at an environment committee meeting.
photo: RNZ/Pretoria Gordon
Saw believes the “blue ribbon” site at Worser Bay is aligned with the taonga taonga ki te ao ghouhiu (“we represent taonga everywhere for everyone”) framework developed by the Mauri Tūhono ki te Upoko o te Ika a Māui group and launched by the regional council in November, along with the Waitua implementation plan.
Greater Wellington Regional Council, along with the Department of Conservation and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, will meet again with students from Worser Bay School to develop a plan and plot next steps.
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