Community: Mangrove exploring - community snorkel day

Photo / Roger Grace

This year, the Whangateau Fun Day will be combined with the Whangateau annual fair, held north of Auckland, near Leigh. Lucky snorkelers could see flounder, although Whangateau Harbour Care Group member and marine biologist Dr. Roger Grace says that their numbers are dwindling. Snorkelers will see parore, yellow-eyed mullet, trevally, spotties, cockles, seahorn shells, hermit crabs and get up close and personal with mangroves.

After the snorkel, punters can visit the annual community fair which promises a bouncy castle, merry-go-round, egg and spoon races, spoons, freshly baked cakes, a book sale, car boot sale and "anything and everything else," says Elizabeth Foster, Whangateau local and one of the key organisers of the event.

Families taking to the harbour for a snorkel can get all their gear and a guide for a gold coin - thanks to NGO Experiencing Marine Reserves. The snorkelling will begin bright and early to time with the tide so head on down at 8am to make sure you don't miss out.

The Whangateau Harbour Care Group are trying to showcase the beauty of the harbour in order to garner support for increased protection in the area. "We would like to get a no-fishing zone around Horseshoe Island so the fish life, particularly flounder, can build up and enhance the snorkelling experience there," says Grace.

Despite being the most pristine harbour in Auckland, a combination of low tides and hot summer temperatures in early 2009, which made cockles susceptible to infection by parasites and bacteria, caused a colossal cockle die back. There is currently a ban on taking pipis and cockles in the harbour which could be lifted next year. According to Grace, the cockles need more time.

"There hasn't been an increase in cockles over 30mm since the crash," says Grace. Recent monitoring that he has undertaken has shown that although the smaller cockles are increasing in numbers, the cockles are still not ready for harvesting. "If the beds are open again, the remaining few adult size ones will get taken and we won't have a breeding stock. People will take whatever are the biggest ones there and they will certainly be inadvertently targeting the best breeding stock." Grace says that the Ministry for Primary Industry look set to support an extension of the ban.

Keen to do more snorkelling? EMR are leading several summer snorkelling trips where you can have free guided snorkels and gear from Goat Island to Waiheke to Whangarei's Reotahi marine reserve. Check www.emr.org.nz for more info

To find out more about Whangateau Harbour Care Group see http://whangateauharbour.org/