Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve is a

protected area Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

in the

North Island The North Island, also officially named Te Ika-a-Māui, is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but much less populous South Island by the Cook Strait. The island's area is , making it the world's 14th-larges ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 List of islands of New Zealand, smaller islands. It is the ...

. The reserve covers an area of , extending from Cape Rodney to Okakari Point, extending 800m offshore. Te Hāwere-a-Maki / Goat Island lies within the reserve and

Leigh Leigh may refer to: Places In England Pronounced : * Leigh, Greater Manchester, Borough of Wigan ** Leigh (UK Parliament constituency) * Leigh-on-Sea, Essex Pronounced : * Leigh, Dorset * Leigh, Gloucestershire * Leigh, Kent * Leigh, Sta ...

is the closest town. It was created in 1975 as the first

marine reserve A marine reserve is a type of marine protected area (MPA). An MPA is a section of the ocean where a government has placed limits on human activity. A marine reserve is a marine protected area in which removing or destroying natural or cultural ...

in New Zealand.

Auckland University , mottoeng = By natural ability and hard work , established = 1883; years ago , endowment = NZD $293 million (31 December 2021) , budget = NZD $1.281 billion (31 December 2021) , chancellor = Cecilia Tarrant , vice_chancellor = Dawn ...

operates Leigh Marine Laboratory at the reserve. Laboratory scientists have scientific equipment around the reserve to study how marine ecosystems function.

Geography

The marine reserve has a variety of shores, including the rocky headland of Cape Rodney, the white sandy surf beach at Pakiri, and the sheltered mudflats and mangrove forests of Whangateau Harbour. There are also boulders, course sand, mudstone terraces, pebblestone rock and greywacke, providing a range of habitats for marine life.

History

Te Hāwere-a-Maki, also known as Goat Island or Motu Hāwere, is important to Ngāti Manuhiri, who trace their

whakapapa Whakapapa (, ), or genealogy, is a fundamental principle in Māori culture. Reciting one's whakapapa proclaims one's Māori identity, places oneself in a wider context, and links oneself to land and tribal groupings and the mana of those. Expe ...

to the earlier iwi of Wakatūwhenua, who landed with the Moekākara waka captained by Tahuhunuiarangi. The island is named after Maki, the son of the iwi's founding ancestor Manuhiri, who led the conquest of the area in the late seventeenth century. Manuhiri's grandson maintained a pā on the island. Ngāti Manuhiri maintained homes and farms in the area until after early European settlement. They received formal title over the island in 1901. The reserve was established in 1975. Before the marine reserve was established, the seafloor had an imbalanced ecosystem dominated by kina, due to over-harvesting of predator species like

rock lobster "Rock Lobster" is a song written by Fred Schneider and Ricky Wilson, two members of the B-52's. It was twice recorded and released as a single, first by DB Records as their debut release in April 1978, and again the following year for the ban ...

and snapper. By 2011, after more than 35 years of protection, there was an abundance and diversity of fish in the reserve.

Wildlife

There is an abundance of fish and marine life in the reserve, including

Australasian snapper The Australasian snapper (''Chrysophrys auratus'') or silver seabream is a species of porgie found in coastal waters of Australia, Philippines, Indonesia, mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and New Zealand. Its distribution areas in the Northern and ...

and New Zealand sea urchin (kina). There are also seaweed forests, sponge gardens, coraline turf,

kelp forest Kelp forests are underwater areas with a high density of kelp, which covers a large part of the world's coastlines. Smaller areas of anchored kelp are called kelp beds. They are recognized as one of the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on E ...

, and encrusting marine life living in deep creeks. Sea-anemones, boulder crabs and bristle-tails live under boulders. Sand-hoppers and sea-lice live in the course sand. There are a range of creatures in the mudstone terraces and pebblestone rock, including snails, limpets, chitons, whelks, crabs, half-crabs, shrimps, starfish, small fish, sea-quirts, barnacles, tubeworms and oysters.

Recreation

The reserve has about 200,000 visitors per year. It is used by

snorkeling Snorkeling ( British and Commonwealth English spelling: snorkelling) is the practice of swimming on or through a body of water while equipped with a diving mask, a shaped breathing tube called a snorkel, and usually swimfins. In cooler waters ...

scuba-diving Scuba diving is a mode of underwater diving whereby divers use breathing equipment that is completely independent of a surface air supply. The name "scuba", an acronym for "Self-Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus", was coined by Chris ...

and kayaking. However, it is unsuitable for in-water activities during east east or north-east winds of 20 knots or more, and east or north-east swells of more than a metre. Kayaking and boating is permitted in the reserve, and there is a boat launching ramp near the reserve at Omaha Cove. Boats are permitted to navigate and anchor carefully, but dragging anchors can damage marine life. Fishing is banned. Dogs are not permitted anywhere within the reserve, including on foreshore areas. Divers must not break off small fragile animals like hydroids, lace corals and sponges. Visitors are also not permitted to fish, feed fish, or move underwater rocks. On-shore rocks can be turned over carefully, but must be returned to their original position. There is a coastal walkway and farm walkway. Visitors can also explore rock pools at low tide.

References

External links

Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve
at the

Department of Conservation An environmental ministry is a national or subnational government agency politically responsible for the environment and/or natural resources. Various other names are commonly used to identify such agencies, such as Ministry of the Environment, ...