Harbour health at heart of new working group

The health and functionality of Mangawhai Harbour and its tributaries will be the focus of an advocacy working group being set-up by Kaipara District Council.

Mayor Jonathan Larsen says Mangawhai Harbour is a significant contributor to the area’s recreational, cultural, lifestyle and commercial appeal, and is a major reason people choose to live, work, play and invest in Mangawhai.

“But it’s a dynamic environment, and vulnerable to changes that can affect both the harbour’s health and the benefits it provides to the community,” he says, adding that the future of Mangawhai relies on maintaining a healthy, functional harbour.

Independent RMA commissioner Mark Farnsworth, who lives in Mangawhai, will chair the group and Councillor Craig Jepson will represent Kaipara District Council. Other invited stakeholders include the chair of the Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society, as well as a representative from Northland Regional Council, Mangawhai Matters, the Department of Conservation and Te Uri o Hau.

The working group will make recommendations to council and will work with NRC to ensure sufficient funding is available to undertake activities and works in the coastal marine area.

Mayor Larsen says he is old enough to remember in the 70s when the sandspit was breached by various storms including Cyclone Bola, and the northern end of the sandspit became a stagnant, smelly mess.

“I attended the 35th anniversary of the Big Dig recently, celebrating the brave Mangawhai Rebels and the phenomenal work they did to reopen the harbour and get the water flowing again.

“A huge amount of work has been undertaken since then by the Mangawhai Harbour Restoration Society and other groups who continue to care for the harbour.

“Now, with changing conditions and new pressures, we’re seeing more mangroves, more sediment and shallower channels.

“It’s time to look to the future and ensure the harbour is healthy and functional for future generations. That is why I have initiated the formation of this working group. We need key stakeholders working together to protect and support the harbour, and this new group will make that happen.”

Mangawhai Harbour covers about 580 hectares at full tide, extending roughly seven kilometres inland with extensive sandbanks, mudflats and mangroves.

It is a vital habitat for native and migratory shorebirds, and the sheltered and relatively shallow estuary is a nursery for fish and shellfish.

The harbour also has significance for local iwi including Te Uri o Hau, traditionally being a source of food and transport.

It is particularly vulnerable to sedimentation from land development, pollution and stormwater runoff, and coastal erosion and sand movement.

The working group has yet to set a date for its first meeting and it is not known whether the meetings will be open to the public.