School 'wet' library decade-long victory

By BRIDGET CARTER

It has taken more than 10 years, but Kamo High School is about to get a "wet" library.

The Northland school started New Zealand's only classroom project to introduce a marine reserve in 1991.

The plan was for it to be a wet library for everyone to study and enjoy, with a catalogue of fish, plants and bird life nestled in the Whangarei Harbour.

Now the school has finished its detailed submission and has backing from nearly 80 per cent of the community, the reserve could be introduced as soon as December.

The idea for the project came from Kamo High teacher Warren Farrelly, who said he wanted to excite his seventh formers about geography.

He invited marine expert Dr Bill Ballantine, who believed marine reserves were "a damn good idea", to speak to the class about how to get one introduced.

That sparked the planning of a 1000ha marine reserve to include Waikaraka, Limestone Island and Aubrey Island, which are in and around the Whangarei Harbour.

"The students started fossicking around ... " said Mr Farrelly. "DoC gave them help and all the other [classes] just followed really."

He said the reserve project was now in its final stages.

While most of the community wanted the marine reserve, Mr Farrelly said others wanted changes to its boundary.

A marine reserve, the coastal equivalent of a national park, would mean the public were free to visit, but could not fish or disturb plant and animal life inside the designated area.

Mr Farrelly said the marine life around the Whangarei Harbour was unique, and the area attracted many birds.

"It could become a bird watchers' paradise."

It would also raise public awareness, create eco-tourism opportunities and be a wet library for scientists.

Many local people interviewed for the project said that in recent years the number and size of fish in the Whangarei Harbour had shrunk.

Mr Farrelly said the reserve might result in the replenishment of depleted fish populations, fish growing bigger and the gene pool being strengthened.

The final proposal was released for public comment late last year and submissions close on March 15.

The school will then wait for approval from the Ministries of Fisheries, Conservation, Maori Affairs and Transport before the area is declared a fishing-free zone.

The reserve would be run by the Department of Conservation, with the help of the school's students, iwi and other interested parties.