The three projects – Waitara Kaimoana Survey 2016, South Taranaki Reef Life and Project Hotspot – were awarded the Environmental Action in the Community and the Environmental Action in Education prizes from the Taranaki Regional Council.
Connecting with seafood
Otaraua Hapū and Waitara Alive won the Environmental Action in the Community award for updating a 15-year-old kaimoana (seafood) survey to get a detailed record of paua, kina and other seafood stocks along the Waitara coastline.
Through scientific monitoring, learning tikanga Māori and capturing the narrative of local seniors and kaumātua, the project is helping to boost the Waitara community’s knowledge and understanding of local reefs, a valuable source of physical and cultural sustenance.
Underwater science
South Taranaki Reef Life, led by the South Taranaki Underwater Club, was also awarded the Environmental Action in the Community award for bringing together local community groups, iwi, schools, fishers, divers, scientists and engineers to study the rich marine life on a reef 11 kilometres off Patea.
The citizen scientists spend a vast amount of volunteer time surveying and documenting the reef community to identify seasonal trends and find out what factors shape it.
Sharing rare sights
Project Hotspot won the Environmental Action in Education award for creating an online database through collecting and sharing community members’ sightings of rare or endangered sea animals.
So far the locals – especially schoolchildren – have recorded almost 500 sightings of four threatened coastal species: orca, reef heron, little blue penguin and New Zealand fur seal.
These projects are all supported by Curious Minds through the Taranaki Participatory Science Platform. Read more about the Participatory Science Platform.