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A youth-driven campaign to raise awareness about marine conservation is heading to Wellington.
Young Ocean Explorers founder Steve Hathaway, of Snells Beach, is currently leading the initiative which involves collecting around 5000 letters from young people, raising their concerns about ocean protection.
Hathaway says one letter will be selected, and its author and their guardian will be flown to Wellington, to help deliver the letters to the Prime Minister.
“We will visit Parliament on June 25 and will also be holding an event that day involving around 300 school children from the Wellington area,” Hathaway said. “Then we’ll gather outside on the steps of Parliament, where we will display a message that says: ‘Protect this place for us’.”
Hathaway said that New Zealand, once considered a global leader in marine protection, had fallen behind in recent years.
“While Australia protects around 13 to 15 per cent of its marine areas, New Zealand protects less than one per cent, significantly below global standards.
“Even though there is a lot of opposition, many organisations support us.”
As part of the campaign, Hathaway has produced a video to encourage people to think about protecting the ocean and inspire young people to get involved. Mangawhai School student Huia McLean presents the video. It has been released on his website at https://www.youngoceanexplorers.com/yoe/video/2935918099336#cplayer.
Any young person who would like to contribute a letter, can send it to PO Box 228, Warkworth 0941, or via email to info@youngoceanexplorers.com.
