Environment – Coastline more than beaches

Last month, I attended the Protect Whangaparāoa Rock Pools protest alongside several hundred community members. While this column usually focuses on broader environmental and political issues, it feels important to bring as much light as possible to what is happening on the coastline here at home.

As a Coastie kid who grew up in Gulf Harbour, spending time at Okoromai and Army Bay was a regular family activity. These places weren’t just beaches, they were classrooms. Rock pools and foreshore walks were woven into my schooling at Gulf Harbour Primary, shaping my understanding of the importance of our coastal spaces from a young age. A privilege that many kiwis have and perhaps something we too often take for granted. 

At the protest, I had the privilege of speaking with former teachers of mine, as well as current educators, who are seeing the impacts of rock pool pillaging firsthand. They spoke not only about environmental damage, but also about what is being lost for our young people; priceless outdoor educational opportunities and a sense of connection to their local environments.

The protest signs were wonderfully creative, ranging widely in material, language, and tone. But the message was clear: we want our shoreline protected for future generations.

Mark Lenton, the organiser spoke passionately and constructively about where to from here. He made it clear that addressing this issue will require more than goodwill. Legislative tools matter, but so does meaningful support on the ground, and so does education for long lasting change. Conservation needs to be embedded in schools, in our sense of citizenship, and in how we manage tourism and visitation to coastal spaces. Several local board members spoke supportively of the cause as did our local MP, however we are still waiting for a response from Shane Jones on the request for a ban as well as to see if that will come with any additional funding and resourcing to manage the ban if it is put in place.

Right now, that support on the ground is simply not there. Between Wellsford and Auckland’s CBD, across both coasts, there are only around 20 full-time fisheries officers on duty at any time. Honorary Fisheries Officers are trained volunteers, but they don’t have the same authority and are already stretched thin. Too much of the burden is falling on exhausted community members and I fear that will continue unless we see significant change from a government level.

I strongly believe short-term action is needed; a rāhui is a necessary first step, and Ngāti Manuhiri’s Section 168A application would place a two-year ban on gathering from the high tide mark to one metre below low tide, an area that has been stripped bare in just four months. But without proper resourcing, signage, education, and enforcement personnel, a rāhui risks being ineffective.

Education is key to long-term change too. Understanding of the importance and value of our natural spaces builds a sense of collective ownership and pride. I want to see a future where kids growing up here have the same experiences I did, exploring rock pools near their homes and visiting local beaches as part of their schooling.

If you’re at our local beaches and see marine life being taken, I encourage you to speak with people if it feels safe to do so, and to contact Fisheries if needed. I also encourage locals to join the community Facebook groups and to contact people in government to ask for their support. Protecting our coastline shouldn’t rest on volunteers alone, but together, our voices are stronger than we think.