"Sharing ancestral knowledge and practices brings value to a once vibrant and biodiverse lagoon."
The Ahuriri Estuary, 470ha in size, is home to more than 70 bird species and more than 20 species of fish.
"Hawke Bay's marine food web is dependent on the estuary and, because of migrating birds, what happens here impacts food webs in Alaska and Asia."
Before the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, this massive body of water was called Te Whanganui ā Orotū, and was considered the storehouse of kaimoana (seafood) that never closed.
The estuary walk starts at 2pm at the Embankment Rd Carpark, off Meeanee Quay, and will finish at about 3.30pm. Bookings are essential: contact the National Aquarium to reserve your place.
Jake is also co-hosting free walking tours of the Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans murals created in 2016 and 2017 with local artist Cinzah Merkens, PangeaSeed Foundation NZ co-ordinator and the Napier festivals' chief organiser. These walks will be held at 1pm on Sunday, March 4 and Sunday, March 11. Bookings through the National Aquarium.
Children's Day, a day of national awareness annually recognised on the first Sunday in March, falls within Seaweek, which runs from March 3 to 11. The National Aquarium is offering free entry for one child 14 years and under with one paying adult on this day. There will be children's activities and prizes galore.
As with last year, the Seaweek World Oceans Day poetry writing competition will be held in Term 2, in April and May, so schools can have more time to prepare for the event.
The winners will have the chance to read their poems in front of an audience at an event to be held on Thursday, June 7, the day before the official World Oceans Day 2018.
• For more information and entry forms, visit the National Aquarium website: www.nationalaquarium.co.nz
Other Hawke's Bay Seaweek 2018 events include:
• Beach Clean Up, 9am-noon, Saturday, March 3, Waitangi Regional Park, near Awatoto
BYO buckets and gloves (if you have them), sun protection, drink bottle, appropriate clothing, we will supply rubbish bags & gloves. Please stay for a sausage sizzle, from 11.15am. A Hawke's Bay Regional Council event. To register and for more information contact Sally Chandler, (06) 833 8036 or chandler@hbrc.govt.nz
• Library Programme, noon-1pm, Saturday, March 3 and Saturday, March 10, Taradale Library
Join Jake Brookie to share books from the Taradale Library's collection and bio facts they can see and touch, such as shark skin, and, new for 2018, plankton samples from the Pacific Ocean (bring a magnifying glass for this one).
• Keep Napier Beautiful Decorate a Free Cloth Bag, 10.30am-3pm, Saturday, March 3, SundayMarch 4, Sunday, March 11, National Aquarium
Give up using plastic bags and decorate your own calico shopping bag to use instead. Entry fees apply. (Children only).
• Seaweek Royal Society Lecture, 7.30pm, Wednesday, March 7, National Aquarium
Come and hear Waikato University PhD candidate Helen Cadwallader speak on her stingray tagging project. Gold coin donation, no booking required.
• Beach Clean Up with Cathedral Environment Justice and Peace Network, 5pm-6.30pm, Friday, March 9
Between the Pacific Surf Club to Napier Port, Marine Parade. Meet on the grass area by Fish Bike Rentals, BYO old bag for collecting and gloves, extras available. Join us for a shared picnic afterwards. The event will be cancelled in the event of high seas.
For a full list of Seaweek 2018 events, go to www.seaweek.org.nz
