We are delighted to announce that John Booth, one of our most dedicated volunteers, has recently received a prestigious award - the New Zealand Marine Science Society's Award in recognition of continued outstanding contribution to marine science in New Zealand.

This sunny event came at the end of a ten-day research trip which saw scientists Dr Roger Grace and Vince Kerr exploring underwater areas that were flagged as popular spots for potential marine reserve candidate sites in the community survey Fish Forever has conducted over the past year.

Nga Moemoea o Tangaroa by John Booth, Resident, Eastern Bay of Islands

"Both the community preference and the science analysis said it all. The islands of Ipipiri, together with adjacent waters, are precious and popular parts of the Bay when it comes to the undersea. And parts of this area tick all the boxes when considering sites for long-term protection—including marine reserves.

This is an edited version of a presentation given to the Eastern Bay of Islands Preservation Society AGM on Friday 6 January 2012. It tells the story of our kina barrens; what they are, why they arise and how to turn back the tide --

It's a "Look but don't touch!" policy at Deep Water Cove's Maunganui Bay -- the 2-year rahui was formalised last year and you can find the full legislative details online here on the NZ Fisheries site and also here: 

Fisheries (Maunganui Bay Temporary Closure) Notice 2010 (SR 2010/399) – New Zealand Legislation http://bit.ly/tlZ5MH

On Saturday 12 Nov 2011, a couple of Fish Forever campaigners were out on their yacht. They spotted a fleet of boats fishing the Middle Ground...and counted them. The fleet numbered some 35 launches, power boats, yachts, and charter boats. They were all fishing. No doubt, they were fishing for snapper. As sea temperatures reach 18 degrees, snapper is spawning now – they’ve all come in and, consequently, the catch is both plentiful and very big.

This isn’t a tidy, measured report telling you what you already know. This is my story; notes from a marine reserve campaigner. The truth is that the Fish Forever campaign is not one you can be tidy and measured about.  This campaign is hot and twisted and contentious. It’s exciting, exasperating, rewarding and, occasionally, deathly dull. It interferes with your working life, your private life. For one week a month it becomes your life...

This is the first of a series of cartoons we're looking forward to sharing with you. Credit for their creation goes to Grant Hocking - thank you for letting us publish them on our website and for making us smile. 

The Fish Forever team were honoured to be invited for a hui at Waitangi marae last week on Friday 9 Sept. We enjoyed a night of frank, open discussion about the nature of marine protection in Northland and ways of working together for a better future for Tangaroa.

This week's edition of the Bay Chronicle gives over its letters page to responses to Peter Bodeker's open letter to Fish Forever that featured on page 3 of last week's edition. Great to see a variety of viewpoints - a children's frank explanation of why a network of no-take zones make sense, the view of a campaigner and also the view of a scientist who has dedicated his working life to the study of marine life.