Newsletter of the New Zealand Coastal Society: a Technical Group of IPENZIssue 38 • June 2008

ISSN 1172-6938

Coastal news

Contents

Nutrient Dynamics inShallow, Tidally-dominatedEstuaries 1

NZCS StudentResearch Scholarship 3

NZCS StudentConference Award 3

Coastal Co-existence:Industry, Culture andEnvironment 4

Conferences andWorkshops 5

Coastal RegionalManagement throughEnvironmentalMonitoring 6

Harbour Drive BeachEnhancement, TaurangaHarbour 8

Word from the Chair 10

Aquaculture Dialogue 10

Preventing Drowningand Injury inNew Zealand 11

Aquaculture into theClassroom 12

Central GovernmentRoundup 13

Sandy Bits 15

University News 16

News from theRegions 17

NZ Coastal SocietySurvey 2007 19

New Zealand CoastalSociety CorporateMembers 20

www.coastalsociety.org.nz

Over the last century estuarine environmentshave undergone dramatic changes. Increasednutrient loading is a problem in estuariesworldwide (Boesch 2002), including in NewZealand. We lack good long-term datasetsto understand and study this problem. Thedata that we have in NZ tell conflictingstories, and are difficult to interpret as manywere collected at random intervals or duringdifferent parts of the tidal cycle. This studyaims to contribute towards ourunderstanding of estuarine nutrientprocesses through the analysis andinterpretation of data collected duringrigorous field experiments.

Estuarine environments are distinct fromrivers and lakes since estuaries receive bothoceanic and catchment inputs. Excessivenutrient inputs, coupled with undesirableenvironmental and physical conditions, canpromote algal blooms that decrease waterquality (Justic et al. 1995; Boesch 2002).

Nutrient Dynamics in Shallow,Tidally-dominated Estuaries

Article by the 2007 winner of the NZCS Student ScholarshipHui Woon (Yvonne) Tay

Nutrients derived from surroundingcatchments, and the recycling of nutrientsin sediments (Fisher et al. 1982), along withwater column processes and shelf-waterexchanges contribute towards nutrientavailability (Morris 2000). However, the roleof intertidal flats in influencing nutrientvariability over short-term periods in tidally-driven estuaries has not been well-established.

Tidal flats are characterised by rapidly-varying water depths, both in time andspace, with the additional influence of airexposure and the potential to resuspendsediments within the water column(Widdows et al. 2004).

The aim of my PhD research is to understandshort-term variability of nutrient dynamicsin shallow, tidally-driven estuaries over thecourse of the tidal cycle. In addition,interannual variation in nutrient

Figure 1: Te Puna Estuary duringlow tide, November 2007

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Coastal News No. 382

concentrations will be studied to quantify long-term fluxes in nutrients

Tauranga Harbour was chosen as my field site asit has large intertidal sandflats (~60% of theharbour area). The harbour is also facing increasedpressure from coastal and catchmentdevelopment. Two sub-estuaries in the southernbasin of Tauranga Harbour were chosen as mysampling sites: Te Puna Estuary (Figure 1) andWaikareao Estuary (Figure 2).

Waikareao Estuary receives water directly fromthe shelf, while Te Puna Estuary receives watermostly from the upper parts of the harbour. Thesetwo sub-estuaries also drain catchments ofdifferent sizes characterised by different levels ofurbanization and have different morphologies,thus providing contrasting examples in which tounderstand short-term water quality variability.

To be able to answer the key questions, seasonalsamplings, every 3 months, are undertaken at thetwo case study estuaries. The field samplinginvolves taking hourly sampling of surface andbottom water over a 24-hour period at eachestuary. Current meters are deployed at thechannel and estuary mouth at each site.Conductivity, temperature and depth (CTD) castsare also taken every hour to provide data on thephysical parameters of temperature, salinity,dissolved oxygen and density.

To date I have completed half my field sampling(November 2007-early summer, and March 2008-late summer/early autumn). Preliminary resultsfrom the CTD casts show that in November 2007the estuaries were well-mixed, while in March2008 a two-layered flow dominated the two

Figure 2: Intertidal flats exposed at Waikareao Estuary during low tide, November 2007

estuaries.

Preliminary results also show that nutrientconcentration was higher on the outgoing tidefor both the day-time and night-time cycles in thetwo estuaries, with Waikareao Estuary havinghigher concentrations of phosphate and nitrate,while Te Puna had higher concentrations ofammonia.

Sampling will be conducted again in June 2008(late autumn/early winter) and in September2008 (late winter/early spring). Historical dataalong with that from the seasonal field samplingwill be used to set-up and calibrate a threedimensional hydrodynamic-biogeochemicalmodel of the two estuaries using ELCOM-CAEDYM (the coupled 3D Estuary and LakeComputer Model and Computational AquaticEcosystem Dynamics Model), a frameworkdeveloped by the Centre for Water Research inAustralia.

The anticipated results will provide some baselinedata on the current nutrient situation to aid inassessing the water quality in the two TaurangaHarbour estuaries. The ability to predict andmitigate changes in water quality is necessary asthe surrounding catchments of Tauranga Harbourare becoming more urbanised and are undergoingsubstantial industrial and causeway construction,developments which have the potential tosignificantly affect the water quality of the case-study sub-estuaries.

References

Boesch, D, 2002. “Challenges and opportunities forscience in reducing nutrient over-enrichment of

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Figure 3: Adrian Brannigan taking a CTD cast at TePuna Estuary, March 2008

Current and predicted pressures pose significantchallenges for managers and planners seekingto provide sustainable futures for coastalenvironments and communities. The NewZealand Coastal Society (NZCS) wasinaugurated in 1992 to promote and advancesustainable management of the coastalenvironment. This includes fostering coastalresearch and capacity building.

The society offers a NZ$5,000 scholarshipannually to support a Masters or PhD studentconducting research that has the potential tocontribute towards the aims of the society.

The recipient must undertake the researchproject while enrolled for a Masters or PHD

NZCS Student Research Scholarshipdegree in a New Zealand institution. S/he mayalready be enrolled and conducting this research,for a Masters student up to 0.5 EFTS, or for aPhD candidate up to 2.0 EFTS, prior to thescholarship application deadline.

Application forms are available from supervisorsor by contacting Hannah Hopkins(hannah.hopkins@ew.govt.nz). Applicationsclose 5pm 22/8/08 and winners will be madeat the annual conference which will be held 18-20 November in New Plymouth and is themed‘Coastal Co-existence: Industry, Culture andEnvironment’. For further information seewww.coastalsociety.org.nz/About.htm and/orcontact David.Kennedy(david.kennedy@vuw.ac.nz).

The 2008 NZCS Student Conference Awardincludes free registration plus NZ$500 towardsexpenses for a student to attend the NZCS 2008annual conference which will be held 18-20November in New Plymouth and is themed‘Coastal Co-existence: Industry, Culture andEnvironment’. The winner must present an oralor poster paper at the conference.

Applicants must be currently enrolled in adegree programme with a focus on coastal

NZCS Student Conference Awardstudies, or no more than one year post-graduation from such a programme. Researchto be presented must have been performed inlarge part by the applicant, while s/he was astudent.

Application forms are available from supervisorsor by contacting Hannah Hopkins(hannah.hopkins@ew.govt.nz). Applicationsclose 5pm 22/8/08 and winners will be notifiedby email within 6 weeks.

coastal ecosystems”, Estuaries, 25:886-900.

Fisher, T, Carlson, P and Barber, R, 1982. “Sedimentnutrient regeneration in three North CarolinaEstuaries”, Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science,14:101-116.

Justic, D, Rabalais, N and Turner, R, 1995.“Stoichiometric nutrient balance and origin ofcoastal eutrophication”, Marine Pollution Bulletin,30:41-46.

Morris, J, 2000. “Effects of sea-level anomalies onestuarine processes”, in Hobbie, J (ed.) EstuarineScience: a synthetic approach to research and practice,Island Press, Washington, pp107-127.

Widdows, J, Blauw, A, Heip, C, Herman, P, Lucas,C, Middelburg, J, Schmidt, S, Brinsley, M, Twisk,F and Verbeek, H, 2004. ”Role of physical andbiological processes in sediment dynamics of atidal flat in Westerschelde Estuary, SWNetherlands”, Marine Ecology Progress Series,274:41-56.

Hui Woon (Yvonne) TayDepartment of Earth and Ocean Sciences

The University of Waikatohwt3@students.waikato.ac.nz

CoastalNews

Coastal News No. 384

The theme of this year’s conference focuses onissues around managing the ever increasinggrowth occurring on New Zealand’s coast, andin particular the ways that industry, culture andthe environment co-exist.

The conference is being held at the New PlymouthClub, a central city location overlooking thefamous wind wand and coastal walkway.The call for papers is out with presentations soughtfor sessions about, but not limited to, thefollowing:

• Planning coastal communities.

• Climate change.

• Coastal hazards.

• Ports, harbours and marinas.

• Aquaculture.

• Ocean and coastal engineering solutions.

Coastal Co-existence: Industry, Cultureand Environment

NZCS Conference, New Plymouth 18 – 20 November 2008

• Oil spill issues.

The deadline for oral and poster presentationabstract submission is 15 August 2008. Abstractsare invited on all aspects of coasts, especially forthe themed sessions (please indicate if your paperfits into one of these).

For more information and a submission form seethe website www.coastalsociety.org.nz or contactKate at kate.giles@trc.govt.nz.

Registrations for the conference will be open lateJune/early July. Check the website for details.

Check out www.taranaki.co.nz and click on theaccommodation tab for a range of lodging options,from backpackers to deluxe.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

2008 conference team

NZCS Mission StatementThe New Zealand Coastal Society was inaugurated in 1992 “to promote and advance sustainablemanagement of the coastal environment”.The Society provides a forum for those with a genuine interest in the coastal zone to communicateamongst themselves and with the public. The Society currently incorporates over 300 members.Members include representatives from a wide range of coastal science, engineering and planningdisciplines, and are employed in the engineering industry, local, regional and central government,research centres and universities.

Applications for membership should be sent to NZCS AdministratorHannah Hopkins (e-mail: hannah.hopkins@ew.govt.nz)

The Taranaki coast near New Plymouth

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NZCS Regional CoordinatorsEvery region in the country has a NZCS Regional Coordinator who is available to help you with anyqueries about NZCS activities or coastal issues in your local area.

North IslandNorthland André Labonté labonte@xtra.co.nz

Auckland Hugh Leersnyder hugh.leersnyder@beca.com

Waikato Jenni Paul jenni.paul@ew.govt.nz

Bay of Plenty Reuben Fraser reubenf@envbop.govt.nz

Hawke’s Bay Neil Daykin daykin@hbrc.govt.nz

Taranaki Kate Giles kate.giles@trc.govt.nz

Manawatu/Wanganui Johanna Rosier d.j.rosier@massey.ac.nz

Wellington Iain Dawe iain.dawe@gw.govt.nz

South IslandUpper South Island Eric Verstappen eric.verstappen@tdc.govt.nz

Canterbury Justin Cope justin.cope@ecan.govt.nz

Otago Mike Hilton mjh@geography.otago.ac.nz

Southland Ken Murray kmurray@doc.govt.nz

Coast to Coast 2008August 18-22, 2008, Darwin, Northern Territory,Australia

www.coast2coast.org.au/

GIS/Spatial Analyses in Fisheries andAquatic SciencesAugust 25-29, 2008

www.fao.org/fi/gisfish/index.jsp.

International Conference of CoastalEngineering31 August - 5 September, 2008, Hamburg,Germany

icce2008.hamburg.baw.de

International Conference on OceanEnergy (ICOE 2008)October 15-17, 2008, Brest, France

www.icoe2008.com/

Conferences and Workshops

LITTORAL 2008 - “A changing coast:challenge for the enviromental policies”25-28 November 2008 Venice, Italy

www.littoral2008.corila.it

Consequences of Climate Change andFlood ProtectionNovember 26-28, 2008, Hamburg, Germany.

www.acqua-alta.de

2008 ICCE International Symposium on‘Sediment dynamics in changingenvironments’December 1-5, 2008, University of Canterbury,Christchurch, New Zealand.

www.civil.canterbury.ac.nz/icce2008.

International Symposium on Deep SeaCorals1-5 December 2008, Wellington, New Zealand.

coral2008.niwa.co.nz/index.php

3rd International Conference in OceanEngineering

1-5 February, 2009, Madras, India

www.oec.iitm.ac.in/icoe2009/index.html.

Coasts and Ports: ‘In a dynamicenvironment’16-18 September, 2009, Wellington, New Zealand

www.coastsandports2009.com

Coastal Co-existence: Industry,Culture and EnvironmentNovember 18-20, 2008, New Plymouth, NewZealand

www.coastalsociety.org.nz

Annual New ZealandCoastal SocietyConference 2008

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6 Coastal News No. 38

John Zeldis and Philip Gillibrand of NIWA and RobSmith of Tasman District Council describe an excitingdevelopment in New Zealand capabilities for real-timecoastal monitoring.

Important regional issues face managers of coastalenvironments in New Zealand and nowhere isthis better illustrated than in the Nelson Baysarea.

Applications for Aquaculture Management Areas(AMAs) under consideration in the TasmanDistrict indicate that a rapid expansion in musselfarming is possible in future, encompassingthousands of hectares in both of Nelson’s bays,Tasman Bay and Golden Bay. Assessing impactsof such farming on water column and benthicenvironments requires good prior knowledge ofbaseline biological conditions and hydrodynamics.

Managers also need information on the naturalenvironment supporting farming – we know thatocean variability in Cook Strait and beyond hasa dominant effect on the supply of chemicalnutrients to the bays, supporting primaryproduction and grazing mussels. Mussel industrymanagers have an obvious interest in this, as domanagers of the scallop fisheries, where naturalvariability has seen the fishery value fluctuatedramatically over the years. Thus understanding,and predicting, ocean-bay exchange is critical.

The AMAs are also subject to sediment-bornebacterial and viral contaminants from local rivers,and to understand the movements of thesesediment plumes we need detailed near-shorehydrodynamics capability, interfaced with

Meeting the Challenges of CoastalRegional Management through

Environmental Monitoringknowledge of catchment runoff dynamics.

Finally, with sea-level rise on the cards over thecoming decades, decisions made now by localauthorities on zoning new regional development(and indeed, on security of current infrastructure)will resonate well into the future. These decisionsmust be informed by the best possible predictionsof future change, including storm-surgeinundation from the bays. These can only beacquired through a strong modelling capabilitysupported by marine environmental information.

In response to this, Tasman District Council andNIWA have collaborated to install and maintainan advanced marine buoy system that gathersenvironmental information required to meet thesechallenges.

Monitoring the Golden Bay environment

In May 2007, a marine buoy was deployed inGolden Bay (Figure 1). It comprises NewZealand’s most comprehensive coastalobservation platform and is a floatingenvironmental monitoring station, collecting andtransmitting near real-time data back to shore.

The buoy is moored in about 30 metres of water,and on-board is a suite of above- and below-waterinstrumentation. Above-water meteorologicalinstruments are recording solar radiation, windspeed and direction, barometric pressure and airtemperature; there is also an accelerometer formeasuring the size and frequency of waves.

Below water, an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler(ADCP) measures the speed and direction of

Figure 1: (left) The location of the Golden Bay buoy, plotted on a map of Nelson Bays showing annual averagechlorophyll concentration (an index of phytoplankton) in the water. The buoy is located in a highly productive area,and we expect it will provide information on the environmental drivers of the productivity. (Right). The buoy hasan array of instruments both above and below water line.

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Figure 2. Surface currents simulated by thehydrodynamic model during an ebb tide in GoldenBay. Water depth is shaded. Note that only every fifthcurrent vector in the model is plotted.

Figure 3. A sample of data collected at the GoldenBay buoy during January 2008 when tropicalcyclone ‘Funa’ passed over NZ: atmosphericpressure (top), wind velocity (middle) and near-surface water currents (bottom). The passage ofthe cyclone during 20–22 January 2008 ishighlighted in grey, and is marked by a rapid dropin pressure and a switch from northward tosouthward winds.

water currents through the water column beneaththe buoy and returns the results in real time,another New Zealand first. Other below-waterinstruments measure water quality indicatorsincluding temperature and salinity, light levels,chlorophyll (as an index of phytoplanktonabundance) and turbidity – essential data forestablishing baseline conditions in the bay at itsinterface with open Cook Strait waters.

We expect these data to be crucial forunderstanding the causes of variation in nutrientsupply and productivity in the bays over seasonaland yearly time scales – for example in responseto El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Alongwith other monitoring information collectedwithin AMAs, the data will help us to understandnatural variability and distinguish it from farmeffects that may arise.

Data for improving ocean forecasting

NIWA is using the Golden Bay buoy data tocalibrate and test a coastal hydrodynamic modelwhich is used routinely to predict storm surgeheight around NZ as part of the operationalenvironmental forecast system ‘EcoConnect’(Figure 2).

Presently, we are using current, wave andatmospheric pressure data collected during thepassage of tropical cyclone ‘Funa’ over theNelson Bays in late January 2008 to testmodelled responses to the cyclone (Figure 3).

The Golden Bay buoy provides valuableinformation on the quality of the data being usedto drive the hydrodynamic model. With the ADCPproviding data on local water currents, thecombined dataset gathered by the buoy allows usto assess both the input to the model and theoutput from it, helping evaluate the performanceof the model and identify sources of error in itspredictions.

Data for councils, industries and the public

The Golden Bay buoy is likely to stay where it isfor several years. NIWA will use it as a test-bedfor new instrumentation, and procedures for dataretrieval, storage, and transfer to a range of onshoreusers. The data are being returned in near real-time over a GPRS cellular link, much of whichfeeds into the web, for viewing on the TasmanDistrict Council website:www.tasman.govt.nz/index.php?GoldenBayMetbuoyGraphs. These provide valuable informationon sea and weather conditions for users such asthe local scallop fleet, fishing industry, andrecreational sea-goers. Actions are now underwayto further extend its capabilities.

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Tasman District Council,the Envirolink Advice Grant Fund, and the NIWACapability Fund for support and maintenancegrants for the buoy project. Modelling capabilityis developed by Roy Walters and Alison Kohoutprepared Figure 2. We thank the NIWA InstrumentSystems Group for continuing assistance with theproject.

John Zeldis (j.zeldis@niwa.co.nz)& Philip Gillibrand, NIWA

Rob Smith, Tasman District Council

Coastal News No. 388

CoastalNews

A sustainable approach to inner harbour shorelinerehabilitation has been undertaken by TaurangaCity Council and environmental and engineeringconsultants Tonkin & Taylor.

Harbour Drive is located along the shores ofTauranga Harbour, and has undergonemorphological change due to human inducedmodifications in the harbour. The modificationsinclude the adjacent rail bridge over the WaikareaoEstuary, the construction of the Sulphur Pointreclamation in the late 1970s and possiblyincreased offshore wave energy into the harbourdue to deepening of the main entrance channel.

The reduction of wave energy from the north east,due to wave sheltering of Sulphur Point and themodification of the inlet to the estuary by the railbridge, resulted in predominant long shoresediment transport to the east. With no significantsediment supply to the west and loss of sedimentinto the Waikareao channel to the east, theshoreline developed a negative sediment budget.

The resulting shoreline retreat reduced the widthof Tauranga City Council’s (TCC) recreationalreserve, causing loss of amenity along a popularstretch of the harbour shoreline.

To mitigate the loss of recreational reserve, a rockrip-rap structure was constructed along themajority of Harbour Drive in 2003. A portion ofthe shoreline was left unprotected to maintainpublic access to the water and maintain a softshore beach.

The unprotected soft shore portion to the east ofthe rip-rap structure subsequently required furtherremediation, due to the ongoing sediment budgetdeficit and localised end effects of the rip-rapstructure. To compound matters, severe erosionduring a storm in November 2005 resulted in anewly constructed walkway and carriageway

Harbour Drive Beach Enhancement,Tauranga Harbour

being put at immediate risk.

Temporary, emergency measures were undertakento protect the remaining shoreline andinfrastructure. However, a sustainable long termsolution was required.

Beach re-nourishment was recommended as asustainable solution to maintain public accessand enhance the amenity values in the area. Anadequate control structure was also needed, orany placement of sand would quickly be lost.

A number of issues concerning the controlstructure’s impact/effect on the local environmenthad to be addressed. A storm water outflow ontothe soft shore beach both exacerbated the existingerosion and would also be detrimental to anyplaced sand.

A popular soft shore beach in the lee of the controlsurvives on sediment supplied from the west.Therefore, nourishment of the leeward beach wasrequired. As a note, this beach originally formedafter the Sulphur Point reclamation as a result ofthe sand supply from the eroding Harbour Driveshoreline.

An issue that affects all of Tauranga Harbour isthe accumulation of sea lettuce along the shoreline,especially during high growth seasons. Anycontrol structure is likely to trap a certain amountof seaweed. However, sea lettuce only becomesa nuisance along the shoreline when largeamounts are continually trapped and begin torot.

Although the Harbour Drive area andsurrounding shorelines are considered highlymodified, the structure needed to integratevisually and maintain public amenity and access.

Therefore, the desired functions of the controlstructure included:

Inner harbour erosion (left) causing risk to public amenity and infrastructure.Subsequent beach enhancement (right) after beach re-nourishment and control structure.

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• Sediment entrapment.

• Mitigation of existing storm water outflow.

• Allowing (some) sediment bypassing.

• Mitigation of sea lettuce accumulation.

• Maintaining public access.

• Integrating with the modified surroundings.

• Adding to the public amenity.

To accommodate the above functions a semidetached rock groyne was proposed. A groyne isa hard structure orientated perpendicular to theshoreline. The primary purpose of the groyne inthis case is to retain placed sand.

The groyne is approximately 25 m long with acrest elevation at Mean High Water Spring. Theexisting storm water outflow was redirected topass through the groyne and exit at the seawardend. The groyne is semi detached as a high tidebeach remains at the landward end.

The high tide beach provides public access alongthe foreshore and also encourages some sedimentbypassing during large wave events. The groynehas also become a prime fishing location.

The seaward end of the groyne terminates near asecondary channel. Tidal currents and wave actionshould allow sea lettuce to become dislodged andreduce potential accumulation within and nearthe groyne. Should accumulation occur, especiallyduring high growth seasons, triggers are in placeto allow removal of the offensive material. Theremoval of sea lettuce in high amenity areas isundertaken by TCC in extreme circumstances.

The beach re-nourishment and groyne constructionwas completed in February 2008.

Approximately 1000 m3 of sand (sourced fromPort of Tauranga dredging operations) was placedon the foreshore to form a high tide beach. Sandwas also placed within the rock rip rap. The sandtrapped in the voids of the rock rip rap acts as astorage cell and allows a gradual movement ofsand onto the re-nourished beach.

Beach maintenance will involve regularmonitoring and ‘top ups’ as the sand volumereduces over time. A hierarchical system ofmaintenance work ensures the new beach systemis sustainable. Depending on the state of the beach,maintenance work may only require re-distribution of sand within the beach/groynesystem. If required, additional sand will besourced from a natural accumulation area (shoal)near the beach.

Port of Tauranga dredged material will be utilisedif the volume of sand required is greater than thatavailable from the shoal. All sand used for capitalor maintenance requirements is sourced fromTauranga Harbour.

The preferred method of shoreline rehabilitationis assessed on a case by case basis, as the processesand public amenity aspects vary between sites.In the case of Harbour Drive Tauranga, asustainable beach re-nourishment and groyneapproach has enhanced the amenity andrecreational value of the area.

Rick Liefting (RLiefting@tonkin.co.nz), Glen Nicholsonand Mark Ivamy - Tonkin & Taylor.

Paul Hanson (Paul.Hanson@tauranga.govt.nz) -Tauranga City Council.

NZCS Management CommitteeChairperson: David Phizacklea (david.phizacklea@envbop.govt.nz)

Deputy Chairperson: Doug Ramsay (d.ramsay@niwa.co.nz)

Treasurer: Eric Verstappen (eric.verstappen@tdc.govt.nz)

Membership Coordinator: Kath Coombes (kath.coombes@arc.govt.nz)

Regional Coordinator: Rick Liefting (rliefting@tonkin.co.nz)

Website Coordinator: Hannah Hopkins (hannah.hopkins@ew.govt.nz)

Cushla Coomb (cusha.loomb@beca.com)

Deidre Hart (deidre.hart@canterbury.ac.nz)David Kennedy (david.kennedy@vuw.ac.nz)Jenni Paul (jenni.paul@ew.govt.nz)Rosalind Wilton (rosalind.wilton@dia.govt.nz)

NZCS Co-ordinator: Hannah Hopkins (hannah.hopkins@ew.govt.nz)

Conference 2008 Co-ordinator Kate Giles (kate.giles@trc.govt.nz)

For any enquiries regarding Coastal News articles or advertising please contactNZCS Editor Alex Eagles (penguins@clear.net.nz).

CoastalNews

Coastal News No. 3810

Of interest to many of you recently will have beenthe Proposed New Zealand Coastal PolicyStatement 2008 that was notified for submissionsin March. While submissions have now closed,the next step will be for the Board of Inquiry tohear submitters and produce a final version. TheInstitute of Professional Engineers of NewZealand, which the Society is a Technical InterestGroup of, has made a submission on behalf of itsmembers to the NZCPS. Thank you to thosemembers who took the time to provide commentsto that submission.

At the 2007 NZCS Conference in Tauranga weawarded John Lumsden with life membership ofthe Society. John is our second recipient of thisaward and recognises the outstandingcontribution that he has made in not only helpingto establish the Society, but as a long-servingmember of the NZCS Management Committeeover the past 15 years.

The organisation for the next Australasian Coastsand Ports Conference at Te Papa in Wellingtonfrom 16-18 September 2009 is progressing well.The theme of the conference is Coasts & Ports ina Dynamic Environment. This theme covers thechallenges of environmental change, innovationsin maritime industries, and policy and planningfor dynamic environments. A separate conferencewebsite has been set up which will contain detailson the conference, call for papers and registrationsin due course. You can register your interest inthe conference now by visiting the websitewww.coastsandports2009.com.

A reminder to book your diaries for the NewZealand Coastal Society Annual Conference for2008, which is being be held from 19-20 Novemberin New Plymouth at the New Plymouth Club.

The theme of the 2008 conference is “Coastal Co-existence: Industry, Culture and Environment”.Taranaki has an enormous variety of coastal issuesand the conference organising committee ispromising yet another great conference. Papersfor the 2008 Conference will be called for in lateJune, with oral and poster papers sought relatedto the conference theme. Registrations will openin July so be in quick. More details will postedon the coastal society website shortlywww.coastalsociety.org.nz/conference.

Our inaugural Student Research Scholarshipwinner, Hui Woon (Yvonne) Tay, has started herfield work and we await the initial findings ofher doctorate research with interest. Applicationsfor this year’s award are open to any masters ordoctorate student studying a coastal related topicin New Zealand. There are also the two $500student travel scholarships to attend the 2008NZCS Conference in Taranaki. Application detailsfor both awards are available from the NZCSwebsite.

Word from the ChairThe results of the 2008 survey of members ispresented in this edition of Coastal News.Satisfaction with the annual conference andCoastal News continues to remain very high, witha lower level of satisfaction with regional eventsand our website. From your feedback, the NZCSManagement Committee will be focusing onimprovements to the website and on giving moreassistance with holding regional events.

We will be endeavouring to ensure that the NZCSe-mail digest is regularly sent to members andcontains relevant information. If you have anyannouncements, information or notices forinclusion in the digest please send to HannahHopkins (NZCS Administrator) athannah.hopkins@ew.govt.nz. Similarly if youhave any ideas for an event in your region or canassist with organisation of an event, please contactyour regional coordinator.

I look forward to seeing you all in Taranaki inNovember for this year’s NZCS Conference. Untilthen, keep safe.

David PhizackleaChair, New Zealand Coastal Society

david.phizacklea@envbop.govt.nz

Aquaculture DialogueWWF is working with industry, government,scientists, iwi and other NGOs to develop anenvironmental standard for GreenshellTM

mussels, Pacific oysters and other molluscspecies in New Zealand.

“As wild fish stocks decline, more and morecountries are turning to aquaculture as a foodsource,” says Rebecca Bird, MarineProgramme Leader. “In fact, aquaculture isthought to be the fastest-growing foodproduction system in the world. WWF’s goalis to ensure that the growth is environmentallysustainable. Working with industry andgovernment to establish performance-basedand measurable standards is one way we canwork toward this goal.”

WWF-International’s Dialogue coordinatorColin Brannen visited Nelson in mid-Aprilto initiate discussions. “WWF has conveneda series of regional Dialogues, including inNZ and in Australia, to help countries developstandards for responsible mollusc farming.NZ is already considered a world leader insustainable aquaculture production.Establishing and complying with standardswill be an important step for the industry totake in order to keep this edge.”

Want to learn more about the AquacultureDialogues? Visit: www.worldwildlife.org/what/globalmarkets/aquaculture.

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CoastalNews

Our coastline continues to be enjoyed by anincreasing number of people, be it through coastaldevelopment or increased access to water-relatedopportunities.

Social commentators suggest there is an increasein ‘family’ orientated leisure pursuits and a dayat the beach is accessible, offers a range of activities,and can be enjoyed by all. This is reflected in ourstatistics, which continue to report more patrolhours than ever before:

• Hours worked 183,351

• Rescues 1,870

• First Aids 1,756

• Searches 345

(current as of 30 May, 2008)

As a not-for-profit community service, the mostsignificant aspect for Surf Life Saving is that wecontinue to deliver more and more. It is imperativethat these increased efforts pinpoint areas wherewe can really make a difference to preventingdrowning and injury in New Zealand.

To help guide and achieve this, Surf Life Savinghas identified the four (4) causal factors associatedwith drowning and set realistic and achievablegoals to counteract each of these factors. Each goalis ultimately supported by a number of inter-ventions to actually get the job done on the coast.

Preventing Drowning andInjury inNew Zealand

1. People drown because of a lack of knowledge or adisregard/misunderstanding of hazards

Surf Life Saving must aim to educate and informby increasing knowledge through quality publiceducation and awareness. This increase inknowledge will assist the beach going public ofNew Zealand participating wisely and safely inour environment. Interventions need to be direct(educational programmes) and indirect (awarenessorientated, e.g. media).

2. People drown because they have unrestricted accessto hazards

People have free access to virtually all the NewZealand coastline. Surf Life Saving needs tounderstand this coast in order to create saferenvironments for the public. Knowledge,identification and prioritisation of coastal hazardswill enable Surf Life Saving to form partnershipswith land managers in order to implement controlmeasures ranging from bylaw changes tostandardised water safety signage.

3. People drown because of a lack of supervision orsurveillance

‘Lifesaving services’ covers the preventative andrescue aspects of our organisation. Such servicesare often the last chance for people in trouble inthe ocean. We now need to build on our firmfoundations and fill gaps innovatively. Surf Life

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Saving must ‘think outside the square’ when itcomes to providing new interventions includinginitiatives ranging from cctv coverage to call-outsquads and support operations.

4. People drown because of their inability to cope oncein difficulty

A determined effort to increase survival skills willcontribute to a population of New Zealanderswho can use the country’s many beaches safelyand skilfully. The fact that hazards exist at beachesmeans we must look for ways to increase theability of people to survive in an environmentthey are unfamiliar with. 20% of people whodrown on the coast never actually intended onbeing in the water in the first place.

In summary there is a need to tackle challengesas ‘one organisation’ through an aligned approach.This approach also needs to be based on evidence.It is also imperative that effective partnershipsare formed, both international and domestic, withgroups who can add value and ultimately savelives on the New Zealand coastline.

Brett Sullivan, Surf Life Saving New Zealandbrett.sullivan@surflifesaving.org.nz

The New Zealand government has developed alearning resource, “Aquaculture in Action”, thatis geared to help students learn more aboutaquaculture in New Zealand. The web-basedresource includes seven fact sheets that areavailable in both English and te reo Maori. Theresource also includes teacher lesson plans andcurriculum links.

At a launch of the Government’s te reo versionof the resource, Te Ahumoana a-mahi, in earlyMay at Te Kura o Manaia on the CoromandelPeninsula, marine farming pioneer HarryMikaere said the fact sheets took an importantindustry, for the Coromandel and the country,into the school environment. He said that thestudents of today had a future in aquaculture,“not only on the farms, but also in the boardroomand in the sciences involved in this industry,particularly in innovation and entrepreneurialleadership”.

“Educating students about aquaculture was alsoabout ensuring they knew about the resourceconsent process and recognised the sustainabilityof the industry”, he added.

Harry’s brother Martin Mikaere is tumuaki(principal) of Te Kura o Manaia. Martin saysaquaculture is part of the very fibre of the smallcoastal Maori community, with the studentshaving grown up collecting seafood and manyof their parents involved in the local mussel andoyster industries.

Aquaculture New Zealand Chairman PeterVitasovich said the launch at Manaia highlighted

Aquaculture into the Classroomthe role of the industry in local communitydevelopment and growth.

Aquaculture often occurred in areas where otheremployment opportunities and industries haddwindled and it would benefit those regions “tohave the knowledge they need to play a role inthe industry’s future from an early age”, he said.

Maori Affairs Minister Parekura Horomia, wholaunched Te Ahumoana a-mahi, said Maori werealready extensively involved in the aquacultureindustry through successful Maori-ownedcompanies such as those in Marlborough and theCoromandel.

Fisheries Minister Jim Anderton shared a similarmessage with students at Queen Charlotte Collegein mid-May saying that environmentallysustainable aquaculture was already an importantpart of New Zealand’s economy and was poisedto grow significantly in the next 20 years.

The Government’s learning resource follows thelead of schools like the college which set up itsown aquaculture academy six years ago, withtechnical and financial help from industry andthe Marlborough District Council.

The college now has its own barge and musselline in the inner harbour, with students able toconduct experiments such as painting panels withdifferent types of antifoul, suspending them atdifferent depths, then diving and usingunderwater photography to compare results.

The learning resource is available at:www.aquaculture.govt.nz.

June 2008 13

CoastalNews

Proposed New Zealand Coastal PolicyStatement 2008

The Board of Inquiry on the Proposed NewZealand Coastal Policy Statement (NZCPS) 2008has received more than 500 submissions on thedocument, according to the Department ofConservation. The Board, chaired by AlternateEnvironment Judge Shonagh Kenderdine, notifiedthe statement on 8 March, with a call forsubmissions by 7 May. With 538 submissionsreceived, some 270 submitters have indicated awish to be heard by the Board. Hearings are yetto be scheduled. Opus International has beencontracted to prepare a summary of submissions.

The Proposed NZCPS 2008 resulted from a reviewof the existing NZCPS, which has been in effectsince 1994. The proposed NZCPS 2008 includesobjectives and policies for sustainable managementof New Zealand's coastal environment. Regionaland Territorial councils must give effect to theseobjectives and policies through rules or othermethods in their plans. The proposed NZCPS2008 identifies restricted coastal activities, forwhich the Minister of Conservation will decideapplications for resource consent. It addresses(amongst other things),

• Treaty of Waitangi and tangata whenuamatters;

• subdivision, use, and development;

• coastal occupation charging;

• natural character, biodiversity and landscapes;

• public access;

• water quality;

• coastal hazards; and

• historic heritage.

Foreshore and Seabed Act Negotiations

The foreshore and seabed issue arose in June 2003when the Court of Appeal found that previouslegislative attempts to provide for Crownownership of the foreshore and seabed did notnecessarily extinguish customary rights or title.This meant that the Maori Land Court had thejurisdiction to investigate claims to the foreshoreand seabed.

Central GovernmentRoundup

The Foreshore and Seabed Act was enacted inNovember 2004. It vested the public foreshoreand seabed in the Crown (New ZealandGovernment). It also provided for the Attorney-General and the Minister of Maori Affairs to enterinto an agreement with a group to recognise that,but for the vesting of ownership of the publicforeshore and seabed in the Crown, that group ormembers of the group, would have had a claimfor territorial customary rights over a specific areaof the public foreshore and seabed.

The Crown is currently in negotiations onforeshore and seabed agreements with four groups– the hapu of Te Whanau a Apanui, certain hapuof Ngati Porou, Ngati Porou ki Hauraki and NgatiPahauwera.

In February 2008, the negotiating representativesfor the hapu of Te Whanau a Apanui and thenegotiating representatives for certain hapu ofNgati Porou signed separate Heads of Agreementwith the Crown. These included draft Deeds ofAgreement which outline the nature, scope andextent of the instruments to be provided to thehapu who choose to ratify the finalised Deed ofAgreement. These instruments fall into twocategories. They may apply either to the entirearea that will be covered by the finalised Deed ofAgreement, or only in territorial customary rightsareas. Table 1 gives a brief description of theseinstruments.

The Crown and the hapu are discussing thelocation of the territorial customary rights areas.Once these are agreed and the Deeds of Agreementhave been ratified by the Crown and the hapu,the High Court will need to confirm that thestatutory requirements for territorial customaryrights areas have been satisfied. Legislation willalso be required to give effect to the Deeds ofAgreement once the territorial customary rightsareas have been confirmed by the High Court.

Negotiations with Ngati Porou ki Hauraki havebeen ongoing since 2005 and relate to two areason the Coromandel Peninsula, at Kennedy Bayand Mataora Bay. A significant amount of workhas to be completed before the negotiating partieswill be able to agree which areas within the rohe

Your contributions to Coastal News are welcome.These contributions are important to keepNZCS members informed about coastal issuesin New Zealand and around the world.Contributions may be in the form ofadvertisements, notification about conferences

Seeking Contributions to Coastal Newsor workshops, short news items, or longerarticles of 400-800 words plus photos ordiagrams.

For further information or to submit an ideaplease contact Alex Eagles, Editor Coastal News, on penguins@clear.net.nz.

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Coastal News No. 3814

Instruments that apply to the whole of the rohe moana

Statutory Overlay Records that relevant h ap have mana over the relevant area andassists with effective participation by the hap in resource consentand marine reserve processes.

Environmental Covenant A statement that will contain issues, objectives, policies and rules orother methods of the hap in relation to:

• the promotion of the sustainable management of the natural andphysical resources in the rohe of the hap ; and

• the protection of the cultural and spiritual identity of the hap .

District and regional plans and policy statements will need to takethe Environmental Covenant into account.

Protected customary activities Provides protections for customary activities, uses and practicesconsistent with the customary rights orders provisions in theForeshore and Seabed Act 2004.

Waahi tapu Access to identified W hi Tapu areas will be restricted or prohibited.Local authorities will be required to take any reasonable actionnecessary to implement the access restrictions or prohibitions, forexample, by erecting signs and fences.

Relationship instrument Facilitates regular interaction between key Ministers, departmentsand relevant hap .

Fisheries mechanism Creates a set of customary fishing regulations which provide for theestablishment of a specific customary fishing management regimeacross the agreement area.

Place names Provides for places of cultural significance to hap to have thenames for those places officially recognised.

Pouwhenua Provides for hap to erect pouwhenua/signage at sites of culturalsignificance.

Instruments that apply only in territorial customary rights areas.

Permission right Gives hap the right to give, or refuse their permission to:

• certain resource consent applications in the coastal marine area(including aquaculture activities in Aquaculture ManagementArea);

• plan change requests to establish an Aquaculture ManagementArea under the Invited Private Plan Change process; and

• applications for a marine reserve.

Extended FisheriesMechanism

Provides hap with the ability to make by-laws under customaryfishing regulations. These by-laws may place restrictions of fishing,either to preserve sustainability or for cultural reasons such as afollowing a death by drowning in the area.

Extended EnvironmentalCovenant

Provides hap with the ability to ensure all statutory plans thatcover a territorial customary rights area recognise and provide forthe approach of the hap to the sustainable management of physicaland natural resources in the area.

of Ngati Porou ki Hauraki meet the criteria forterritorial customary rights recognition as outlinedin the Foreshore and Seabed Act.

Ngati Pahauwera are a confederation of hapucentred around the Mohaka River in the northernHawke’s Bay. Ngati Pahauwera and the Crownwill be negotiating the first combined historical

Treaty settlement and foreshore and seabedagreement. This negotiation is at an early stageand is currently focussed on research andidentifying respective interests, which will beprogressed in consultation within the iwi andwith neighbouring groups.

For more information, go to www.justice.govt.nz

Table 1: nature, scope and extent of the instruments to be provided to the hapu who choose toratify the finalised Deed of Agreement.

June 2008 15

CoastalNews

Ministry of Fisheries Update

Fisheries Plans

New Zealanders fish for recreation, custom,tradition, and for a living, and many businessesand communities rely on fish and the marineenvironment. The Fisheries Act splits these usersinto three main groups; Maori customary noncommercial, recreational and commercial. Inaddition, environmental groups bring additionalinterests to fishery management. These differentsectors want different outcomes from their fisheriesand fisheries management. Fisheries Plans arebeing used to identify and then balance theseinterests in order to provide the best value fromour fisheries.

A key tenant of the process is that fisheries planswill be developed in collaboration with tangatawhenua and stakeholders. Fisheries plans willdescribe how New Zealanders can get best valuefrom their fisheries, within environmental limits,or standards, set by the Government. Fisheriesplans will allow us to:

• Specify government-set standards withinwhich fisheries should be managed.

• Identify the value different stakeholders obtainfrom the fishery.

• Set objectives for a fishery to get best value.

• Design the management of the fishery toachieve the objectives.

• Make fisheries management more transparent.

Fisheries plans will allow us to improve the waywe prioritise use of Ministry resources and providea clearer basis for monitoring performance of eachfishery.

The following fisheries plans are underdevelopment: Challenger Finfish, Foveaux StraitOyster, Highly Migratory Species, NorthlandScallops, Paua (PAU 5), Rock Lobster (Cray 3),Southern Shellfish, Westcoast North Island Finfish.

More information about fisheries plans can befound at: http://fpcs.fish.govt.nz.

MPA Policy – biodiversity protection

New Zealand has a rich and complex marinebiodiversity. Due to its isolation, the New Zealandmarine ecosystem has a high level of endemism.In order to protect this unique biodiversity, theNew Zealand government has a target ofprotecting 10% of the sea area by 2010.

The Marine Protected Areas Policy and the newMarine Protected Areas Protection Standard andClassification System put in place an integratedand structured process for the identification ofmarine protected areas and for the identificationand implementation of mechanisms to achievethe appropriate level of protection.

Coastal waters to 12 nautical miles are beingaddressed on a biogeographic region basiswhereas the area from 12 nautical miles to theouter limit of the EEZ will be addressed at anational level. Biodiversity protection in theseoffshore areas will be addressed after 2012.

The task of identifying possible MPAs and theirprotection mechanisms will be undertaken by aMarine Protection Planning Forum (MPFF). It isintended that MPFFs are comprised ofrepresentatives of tangata whenua, relevantmarine user groups and environmental interests.In proposing areas, the Forum must seek toachieve New Zealand biodiversity outcomeswhilst minimising the impacts of proposals onexisting users and on Treaty settlementobligations.

For more information please go to:

www.fish.govt.nz/en-nz/Environmental/Seabed+Protection+and+Research/MPA

www.doc.govt.nz/templates/summary.aspx?id=33756

http://www.biodiversity.govt.nz/seas/biodiversity/protected/index.html

Saving Hong Kong’s Marine Life...

Hong Kong's waters were once abundant withmarine life, including 80 species of hard coraland around 1,000 species of fish includingsharks, manta rays and green turtles. But todaythis once magnificent marine environment issuffering from pollution, development andoverfishing. Things have got so bad that certainspecies are now heading towards extinction andthe average weight of a local fish caught fromtrawling today is less than 10 grams!

Hong Kong is one of the most intensively fishedplaces in the world with some areas beingtrawled with heavy weighted nets several timesa day. As a result of uncontrolled fishing,populations of many species have crashed under

Sandy Bitsa barrage of threats. WWF believes the solutionis to identify protection zones, which wouldenable marine life to survive undisturbed andthrive again. (www.worldwildlife.org).

And Saving Our Dolphins

The New Zealand Government recentlyannounced a package of measures to protectthe Hector and Maui dolphins. These measuresincluded four new marine mammal sanctuariesas well as extending the sanctuary off BanksPeninsula, regional bans on set net fishing,sand mining and mineral extraction, restrictionson trawling and an extra $6 million over thenext three years to pay for observers on allcommercial fishing vessels operating wherethe dolphins live. (www.forestandbird.org.nz)

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Coastal News No. 3816

Victoria University of Wellington

Te Whare Wananga o te Upoko o te Ika a Maui.School of Geography Environment & Earth Sciences

The causes and impacts of climate change andassociated sea-level rise is a major foci of coastalresearch at Victoria University. The effects ofhuman-induced global warming on vulnerablecoastal environments is one of the majorenvironmental threats of today, and research atVictoria is focussed on its impact on the coast ofNew Zealand and Pacific island nations. Inaddition to climate change, research is also beingconducted on the dynamics and morphology ofrocky coasts, sandy beach and barrier evolution,infill histories of estuaries and coral reef dynamics.

Coral Reefs

The people of the Pacific are some of the mostvulnerable to sea-level rise, with predictions ofthe drowning of entire atolls sendingenvironmental refugees around the world. Howsand islands respond to changing sea levels is oneof the Victoria research themes, combined withthe environmental sustainability of the landscapesof reefs and their associated sandy and highislands. Field sites in Fiji and Palmyra Atoll areactively being studied and on Niue, Helene

Figure 1: Surveying on Farewell Spit. Some projectionsof climate change suggest that such landforms maybe completely destroyed as the sea rises.

figure 3: Grab sampling sediment around Lord HoweIsland. Coral reef at this location may hold the key tounravelling how reefs respond to warmer climates.

Figure 2: Surveying beach change on the 300-levelfield trip to Napier.

Marsters, is investigating sediment accumulationas part of her masters project. Reefs in the TasmanSea are also being investigated, especially thosefound at the southern limit of reef developmentaround Lord Howe Island.

NZ Coast

A number of projects are also being conductedon the New Zealand coast looking at aspects oferosion and coastal landform response tochanging wave and sediment supply conditions.Masters student Helli Tribe is currently finishingher thesis on the impacts of projected sea-levelrise on Farewell Spit, while Dave Olson is lookingat beach change around Wellington Harbour.

Recently completed projects have looked atestuarine infill in NW Nelson and the evolutionof the Kapiti coastal plain over the last few sealevel cycles. I have also been looking at thedynamics of rocky coast evolution in along theOtago and Wellington coastlines.

In addition to this research activity, coastal aspectsare taught in a range of courses in undergraduateand graduate level. These include field trips tothe gravel beaches of Hawke’s Bay and aroundWellington, to Turakirae Head and Makara. Atgraduate level students also visit the key landformsites along the east coast of the South Island,including Kaikoura and Otago.

Please feel free to contact me(David.Kennedy@vuw.ac.nz) if you would likeany further information or visit the VictoriaUniversity website (www.vuw.ac.nz).

University News

June 2008 17

CoastalNews

Hawke’s Bay Region NewsNeil Daykin, Hawke’s Bay Regional Coordinator

Oil Spill Exercise

The Hawke's Bay Oil Spill Response team wereinvolved in a major offshore spill exercise basedat Cape Kidnappers on 22 April 2008. The exercisefocused on aerial operations, working with thetides to get access to 'affected' beaches, protectionof wildlife and establishing effectivecommunications between those working remotelyon the beaches under the Cape and the EmergencyOperations Centre. Over 50 staff were involvedincluding those from the Hawke's Bay RegionalCouncil (HBRC), Hawke’s Bay VolunteerCoastguard, Department of Conservation, MasseyUniversity and Maritime New Zealand. Theexercise had a realistic scenario and operationsfocused in different areas from previous exercises.Observers commented there were good regularbriefings and the team worked really well together,which will put the team in a good place for anyreal oil spills in the future.

Dunes

The Waimarama beach society will be planting2800 spinifex on 25th May. The society worksclosely with Hastings District Council and HBRC.

Coastal Protection

Napier City Council are currently proposing toextend an existing breakwater at WhakarireAvenue, Westshore, Napier to provide erosionprotection and create a pocket recreational beach.NCC are currently preparing consent applicationsfor their proposal.

Coastal Erosion Part 1

What a difference a few days makes at CliftonMotor Camp, south of Napier near CapeKidnappers. Two swell events this month (5th &

News from the Regions23-26th May) have produced significant erosionin the Hawke’s Bay Region, especially noticeablein the proximity of coastal property. The firstphoto shows damage from the 5th May swellevent, with the second photo showing furtherdamage after the 23-26th May swell event.Although swell sizes from the 5th May eventwere not huge (<1-1.5m), these were combinedwith very high spring tides and did significantdamage, blowing out the end of an old sea defenceand cutting back the bank some 2-5m in places.The 23-26th May event had larger swells (1-1.5m)and neap tides, but a further 2-4m of bank waslost in places. Fortunately, no major damage tocaravans and associated structures was sustainedin the late May event as HBRC had provided 4days advance warning of the swell.

Coastal Erosion Part 2

And how about: what a difference a few monthsmakes at Haumoana, south of Napier. A swellevent in February 08 and then two swell eventsthis month as above (5th & 23-26th May 08) havetaken their toll on one particular property. TheJan 08 photo (taken 30/05/06) represents howthe “intact” timber sea wall, with a large deckbehind looked like in January. The two Februaryphotos show damage following the Februaryswell event. The April photo (taken 20/05/08)shows a “nicely” rebuilt timber sea wall, butminus the deck and the hole behind the seawallwas in filled with shingle prior to the 23-25thMay swell event. The last two photos taken on26th May show the damage caused by 3 precedingdays of heavy seas (23-25th May). The familyliving in this property self evacuated during theswell event.

Residents declare war on aggies at MangakuriBeach

Mangakuri with its small number of holiday

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Coastal News No. 3818

batches and just three permanent homes is one ofHawke’s Bay’s iconic rural beach settlements.The close-knit community is known to be veryproactive with issues relating to the health of theirbeach. In 2000 the community approached HBRCand were given assistance to control an infestation

of Cape Ivy and fence the foredunes to preventvehicle damage.

Earlier this year Mangakuri residents decided todo something about the marram grass and someof the other ‘garden escapees’ like exotics suchas agapanthus, nasturtium, echium and cotyledon

June 2008 19

CoastalNews

Congratulations to Valerie Cole of Auckland, thelucky winner of the $50 book voucher prize forreturning the annual NZ Coastal Society (NZCS)services survey in December 2007. The NZCSmanagement committee also thank all the othersurvey respondents. Your feedback will be usedto improve membership services.

The results of the survey show that satisfactionwith the annual conference and Coastal Newscontinues to remain very high (see figure below).Satisfaction with regional events and the websiteis lower, again a similar result to previous years.The committee considered these results at theirlast meeting and this year will be focusing onimprovements to the website and on giving moreassistance with holding regional events.

The NZCS e-mail digest was introduced in 2007and the survey was a good opportunity to get

NZ Coastal Society Survey 2007Satisfaction levels remain high but show areas for improvement

some feedback on that new service. Fifty-sixpercent of respondents said they ‘always or often’read the digest, 31% read it ‘sometimes’ and 13%never read it. The committee consider that thisis a good level of use, but will be trying to addressthe feedback that the e-mails do not have enoughcontent and that the items have sometimes beenrepetitive. All members are encouraged to usethe digest to send appropriate and relevantannouncements, information and job vacanciesto the NZCS membership. Information on howto get items included in the digest is available onthe NZCS website (www.coastalsociety.org.nz).

The survey forms were distributed to all attendeesat the NZCS conference in Tauranga and also sentout to all members with Coastal News. A total of34 forms were received. A full report on thesurvey results is available on the NZCS website.

that have established on the beach. HBRC areproviding assistance through the RegionalLandcare Scheme and are helping to design aweed control programme that will allow residentsto carry out the work themselves. In March 08,initial spraying and seed head removal was carriedout, with a follow up planned for spring. Thecommunity hopes that once agapanthus and otherinvasive weeds are under control they can shifttheir focus from weed control to restoring nativedune plants.

HBRC trial spinifex on gravel beaches

With growing interest in dune restoration, HBRCland management team decided to find outwhether native spinifex would grow and surviveon the region’s gravel beaches. Two rabbit-proof

plots were established on a gravel beach andspinifex seedlings planted as they would be ina dune planting project. Results have beenencouraging with the majority of seedlingssurviving their first year. Seedlings in one of theplots have shown growth rate that would matchthat of plants grown on straight sand, althoughthe runners do seem to struggle to anchor withoutsand. While it remains to be seen whether theplants will spread naturally, or trap wind-blownsand as they would on a sandy beach, the factthat they have grown as well as they have hasexcited staff involved with dune restoration.There may be an opportunity to use spinifex insoft-engineering options for beach protectionwork, perhaps as part of a beach re-nourishmentprogramme.

100%

80%

60%

40%

20%

0%2005 2006 2007 2005 2006 2007 2005 2006 2007 2005 2006 2007

WebsiteCoastal NewsRegional EventsAnnual Conference

2005, 2006 and 2007 NZCS Surveys

Very dissatisfied

Dissatisfied

Satisfied

Very satisfied

Neutral

CoastalNews

Coastal News No. 3820

Corporate membership enables organisations andcompanies to become part of the New ZealandCoastal Society and support the Society’s missionof taking a leading role in facilitating a vibrant,healthy and sustainable coastal and oceanenvironment. Organisations and companies canshow their support for the aims and activities ofthe society and achieve public recognition of thatsupport.

Corporate membership benefits include:

• High profile listing as a corporate membersponsor on the NZCS website homepage(www.coastalsociety.org.nz/Corporate.htm)

• Website listing of services provided bycorporate organisation, contact details, andlinks to recent projects or corporateorganisation website.

Corporate Member:Environment Bay of PlentyEnvironment Bay of Plenty is the regional council for the Bay of Plenty region. The mission statementis Working with our communities for a better environment - Me mahi ngatahi tatau katoa, e orarawa atu ai to tatou taiao. The Bay of Plenty coastal environment is one of the most significantresources of the region. The total coastal perimeter of the region from Waihi Beach to the East Capeis 688 km, with 259 km of open coast.

A few examples of what we do:

Environment Bay of Plenty monitors sea temperature and wave climate in real time 13 km offshorein the central Bay of Plenty through its wave buoy at Pukehina.

Environment Bay of Plenty has recently completed coastal strategies for Ohiwa Harbour and TaurangaHarbour, and is currently developing one for the lower Kaituna River and Maketu Estuary. Thesestrategies have been collaborative efforts with councils, tangata whenua and local communities.

Community led initiatives include the Coast Care and Estuary Care programmes which are run byvolunteer care groups.

Further details on the above and other coastal work is available under the coast pages of our websiteat www.envbop.govt.nz.

New Zealand Coastal SocietyCorporate Members

• One free individual membership for theperson nominated as the corporate contact orany subsequent replacement alternate.

• Five complimentary copies of Coastal Newspublished three times per year – March, Juneand November.

• Discounted registration at member rates forthe corporate contact to all NZCS Conferences.

• Short feature on a Corporate Member inCoastal News.

For more information on Corporate membershipsplease contact:

Kath CoombesMembership CoordinatorCoastal Society Committeekath.coombes@arc.govt.nz

The Coastal Society would like to acknowledge our corporate members for their support: