National Marine and Freshwater Education Wananga – Conference 2010
Theme - Mountains to Sea – Collaboration for conservation of our marine and freshwater environments in schools and communities.
Purpose
An inspirational professional development and networking opport...
The Northland Experiencing Marine Reserves programme was invited to launch Seaweek at Kelly Tarltons Underwater World on 5th March 2006. The Pakaraka student Harriet Duley joined other EMR students who were required to deliver a two minute speech to the Minister of Conservation - the Honourable Chris Carter.
Harriet Duley's speech to the Minister:
"Imagine snorkelling a few feet away from ten pound snapper, being surrounded by schools of blue mao mao and grazing leather jackets in a dense kelp forest with crayfish crouching under every ledge. The kina in the cracks and crevices are quivering in fear of the ravenous snapper. This is what I experienced while snorkelling at
Goat Island
marine reserve. Kia ora, my name is Harriet and I go to
PakarakaSchool
in the
Bay
of
Islands
. In term four last year I had the opportunity to go on a school trip to the
Goat Island
marine reserve, only then did I realise what a balanced marine environment is. Even snorkelling in the beautiful
Bay
of
Islands
could not prepare me for the vast range of sea-life
Goat Island
is home to. It was so different to the large kina and starfish barren areas I had been used to snorkelling amongst. This is why marine reserves are so important. Without people fishing the kina are kept under control by the carnivores such as snapper and crayfish which gives kelp a chance to grow. For a long time we have realised that we need to preserve our natural treasures on land, but 80% of our biodiversity is found in the sea so it's time that we protect our marine environment before its too late. Samara's Experiencing Marine Reserves programme has opened my eyes to how important marine reserves are to all our futures".
Harriet Duley won the trip to the Poor Knights from
PakarakaSchool
.
While on the Goat Island marine reserve trip,
PakarakaSchool
also enjoyed some marine sand sculpturing. Harriet Duley sculptured a stingray and wrote this poem to go with it:
"Steven the stingray takes only his share, that's why there's still lots of sea life left here. We all hope that the humans will follow, then they won't cause the sea life so much sorrow and there will still be some left for tomorrow"
