We promote, advocate and support marine conservation.
We meet the last Thursday of every month in Paihia and welcome new members.
Please get in touch This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. | 027 243-1777
Read about our team here
Bay of Islands marine science reports & essays
Our team of marine scientists produce facts and figures that paint a picture of what's happening under the surface of Bay of Islands waters.
Browse our library here
Helping you have a say on marine protection proposals
We make it easy for you to make a submission supporting marine protection proposals. Our simple online submission system takes a minute to complete.
Please join us on Facebook or join our mailing list at the bottom of this page. We'll update you as proposals are released NZ wide. Your voice is important!
Some of our campaigns have included:
- Manganui Bay/Deep Water Cove rahui extension for a further two years - 466 indivduals made a submission through our website
- Otago Marine Protected Areas proposal - 204 indivduals made a submission through our website
- MPI's future of our fisheries management review - 293 indivduals made a submission through the website
Check details of public submissions received through our website here
Maunganui Rahui Rollover
466 public submissions gathered through our website
South-East Marine Protected Areas
204 public submissions gathered through our website
MPI Future of Our Fisheries
293 public submissions gathered through our website
Fish Forever were invited to present to MPI's technical advisory group
Fish Forever's own submissions on marine protection issues
Our team of marine scientists are well placed to make detailed submissions on marine protection proposals.
Read some of our submissions here
Northland Regional Pest and Marine Pathway Management Plan
Submission on the Proposed Northland Regional Pest and Marine Pathway Management Plan 2017-2027. By Fish Forever, 2017
Download
Future of Our Fisheries
Submission on the Future of Our Fisheries Consultation Document. By Fish Forever, 2016
Download
South-East Marine Protected Areas
Submission on South-East Marine Protected Areas Rōpu Manāki Ki Te Toka. By Fish Forever, 2016
Download
Fish Forever's MPA submission
Submission on a new Marine Protected Areas Act Consultation Document. By Fish Forever, 2016
Download
Our marine reserve lesson plans and resources for year 7-9 students
Marine Reserves education resource pack "Living Blue" offers detailed lesson plans and resources for year 7-9 students. Specifically targeted as a relief teachers resource.
Fun, relevant and easy to use - these resources have been created by marine specialists and qualified teachers for students to discover the wonders of our seas.
Download the complete set of lesson plans here
Supporting the Maunganui Bay Rahui
Read full details of the rahui here
Fish Forever created and maintain the website http:/www.rahui.org.nz giving full information about boundaries and FAQ.
The website was tied in with signage we errected with the financial support of Northland Dive, Paihia Dive and Dive HQ.
Fish Forever marine scientists have produced reports to assist with the resource consent of the HMS Canterbury which is sunk in the rahui area, as well as baited underwater video surveys, a fish baseline survey - full details below.
Marine Science reports within Maunganui Bay...
Crypto-benthic Fish Baseline Monitoring
In the spring of 2016 Brett Sutton carried out the first survey to look at those tiny little fish, like the juvenile dwarf scorpionfish, that hide away on the bottom. Scientists refer to them as crypto-benthic fish, and we wanted to work out an affordable and effective way to monitor them in the Bay of Islands. In particular, were there more of them inside the Maunganui Bay Rahui. By Brett Sutton, 2016
Download the full report here
Baited underwater video survey
Baited underwater video survey of fishes – Maunganui Bay and Cape Brett, Bay of Islands, New Zealand. By Vince Kerr, 2016
Download
Urchin barrens and algal community zonation
Urchin barrens and algal community zonation; a transect based study, Maunganui Bay and Cape Brett. By Vince Kerr, 2016
In 2016 Vince Kerr carried out a project to find out how well current aerial photography techniques were mapping kina barrens in the Bay of Islands. To do this he mapped 12 underwater transects at sites in the relatively sheltered shores in Maunganui Bay and the exposed coast lying between Maunganui Bay and Pig Gully.
Download the full report here
Marine communities frigate Canterbury
Marine communities associated with the frigate Canterbury and on nearby shores, eastern Bay of Islands. By Fish Forever, 2012
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Lobster Monitoring Programme
Cray abundance in the Bay is generally considered to be pretty low at present and so Fish Forever has been keen to establish a monitoring programme that can track changes over time, and also to see what effect the Maunganui Bay (Deep Water Cove) Rahui is having. In 2016 Brett Sutton and his dive team carried out a pilot study to investigate the feasibility of a long-term monitoring programme.
By Brett Sutton, 2016
Download the full report here
Voices of land and sea - a talk series exploring the BOI's natural world
In 2016, we held a series of free public talks, with presenters :
- Cat Peters - Responses of bottlenose dolphins to vessel activity in Northland
- Dean Baigent Mercer - The urgent case for protecting our deepsea wildlife
- Irene Middleton - Northland's marine visitors, wanted and unwanted, pests and sub-tropical vagrants
- Jocehn Zaeschmar - NZ's rare false killer whales; regular visitors to the Bay of Islands
- Steve and Riley Hathaway - Kid's engaging kids to inspire hearts and minds
Details of our 2016 free public talk series
Responses of bottlenose dolphin to vessel activity
Cat Peters
Northland's marine visitors, wanted and unwanted
Irene Middleton
NZ's rare false killer whales
Kids inspiring kids to engage hearts and minds
Fish Forever 2014 BOI Marine Reserve proposal
In May 2014, Fish Forever released a community consultation document proposing two no-take marine reserves in the Bay of Islands. The proposal was well supported by the public - 1349 submissions were received, 81% were in favour of the proposal.
Below you'll find the proposal, the submission report and all the supporting documentation that was prepared prior to its release.
Proposal, submission report and associated docs...
BOI Marine Reserve Proposal
BOI Marine Reserve Proposal Community Consultation Document. By Fish Forever, 2014
Download
Submission Report
Submissions Report on the BOI Marine Reserve Proposal Community Consultation Document. By Vince Kerr, Catherine Langford, and Dean Wright, 2014
Download
Boundary Design Analysis
Analysis of boundary design for two proposed Marine Reserves in the Eastern Bay of Islands: a report to Fish Forever. By Vince Kerr, 2014
Download
Options for no-take marine reserves
Options for no-take marine protected areas in the eastern Bay of Islands: a discussion document. By John Booth, 2013
Download
All of us with an interest and love of Tangaroa, let's work together and take on the challenge of marine protection for the Bay.