February 2017
2/22/2017
Edition 1 volume 1
Million Metres
Community projects promoting freshwater conservation
Million Metres is an online crowdfunding platform (like PledgeMe or Givealittle) that raises money for community projects that promote freshwater. Their vision is to support the planting of one million metres of New Zealand waterways with native plants and trees. So far they’ve helped to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for 13 projects up and down the country and are looking for more projects to fund in the Auckland region. They will be presenting at our next meeting on March 7th at 7.30 pm in the Whangateau Hall.
All welcome.
If you want to find out more visit their website at
http://millionmetres.org.nz/
Harbour clean up at Ti Point
Saturday 4th March between 10am – 11.30am.
This initiative set up by Project AWARE seeks to raise awareness of waste in the ocean and educate people on ways they can reduce their personal waste.
As the final event of a month of awareness raising, the Dive Against Debris at Ti Point wharf will clean up rubbish and fishing line around the wharf area. There will be about 15 divers in the water as well as volunteers on land and addition support.
Contact Laura Hutchings for more information: laurahutchings82@hotmail.com
Shellfish poaching in Whangateau Harbour
The woman in the photo above was approached by a member of the Harbour Care group and informed that taking shellfish from the Harbour was illegal. The shellfish beds have been closed to allow the cockle population to recover from a major die off around five years ago. There are signs around the harbour indicating that taking of shellfish is not permitted. The woman said she didn’t understand English. The Group has written to the Ministry of Primary Industries to ask for signage to be provided in Asian languages so that more people can be made aware of the shellfish ban.
Anyone seeing people breaking fisheries laws is encouraged to phone a fisheries officer on:
0800 4 POACHER or 0800 476264.
Horseshoe Island Weeding
The weeding programme on Horseshoe Island has been very successful thanks to our committee members getting stuck in and removing wattle and gorse seedlings.
If you have any news, notices or views of interest please contact the HarbourCare Group secretary, Liz Allen by email: liz.allen18laika@gmail.com
Whangateau Harbourcare 
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