It’s human nature to want to share the “firsts”. This week, we welcomed Minister of Conservation, Hon. Kiri Allan to The Noises. It’s the first time a sitting Minister has visited the islands. As Minister of Conservation, Hon. Kiri Allan…
It’s not as if we need additional reasons to push for marine protection, nevertheless, here’s another compelling argument for ocean conservation – because a healthy ocean can help combat coastal erosion. Scientists have long been aware that a generous covering…
Simon Fraser attended a snorkel around Otata Island with Experiencing Marine Reserves. Simon has given us permission to publish his account here on The Noises website, which was first published on The Rakino Island Community Website. Ngā mihi nui, Simon.…
A splendid splashy tale about the day the neighbours came round for a snorkel. When people think of the Neureuter’s neighbours on The Noises, they tend to think of seabirds. Of noisy petrels and species of shag, of gannets and…
Following delivery of The Noises High Protection Area (HPA) proposal to the Government last year, The Noises Marine Restoration Project Team (a collaboration between our [Neureuter] whānau, the Auckland Museum, and the University of Auckland), collectively evaluated how we had…
Key to the goal of holistic protection of The Noises is the rollout of a detailed and long-term monitoring plan of both the land and sea. This plan took a big step forward in December when biologists from Tāmaki Paenga…
Once up a time, kekeno or New Zealand fur seals, were found from the deepest reaches of the Southern Ocean to the Far North, making their homes on offshore islands, on mainland Aotearoa and even parts of Australia. But with…
A few weeks ago the big pohutukawa near the bach on Ōtata lost its two massive northern limbs. Well, they're not exactly lost, more cracked, bent, and bowed and it happened in completely still and hot conditions. Why then? Rod…
Flourishing beds of kūtai, or mussels, once covered much of the inner Hauraki Gulf, with a typical mussel capable of filtering an estimated 30 litres of water each day. However, following over a century of intensive cultivation, including dredging, this…
Blue Carbon is something we’re hearing a lot about these days. Referring to the carbon captured by marine and coastal ecosystems, this helps reduce the impact of greenhouse gases. Seagrasses, mangroves, and kelp forests all gather and hold carbon in…