The 2020 Hauraki Gulf Marine Park poster celebrates the diversity of life in Auckland’s big blue backyard.
This year’s edition takes a look at what has changed since the Marine Park was established in 2000, and what more we need to do to restore and protect it.
There is some good news, particularly on the islands / motu of the Gulf, where native vegetation regeneration efforts have proved spectacularly successful and have allowed the reintroduction of native species such as the wētāpunga and kokako. In addition, slower ship speeds through the Gulf have helped prevent ship strikes of our resident Bryde’s whales.
However, environmental degradation continues. Crayfish / kōura are now hard to find in heavily fished areas of the Gulf. Sediment, nutrients, chemicals and plastics continue to wash into the water, though efforts to improve water quality are gathering pace. Seabirds and shorebirds have seen sharp rises in the number of species classified as threatened. Cockles / tuangi numbers have declined in areas where gathering is allowed year-round, and kina barrens are replacing once lush kelp forests.
In short, we all need to do more to restore and protect our big blue backyard for future generations.
Download the poster
Click the link below to open the high-resolution version of the 2020 poster in your browser.
