New Zealand: Porirua Harbour Restoration Underway

Work is well underway to restore the health of Porirua Harbour according to the first Annual Report to Porirua City Council’s Te Komiti.

PCC, Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wellington City Council and Te Runanga o Toa Rangatira prepared the Porirua Harbour and Catchment Strategy and Action Plan in 2012 and have made great strides in the first year of its implementation to address many of the challenges facing Porirua Harbour.

“Our partnerships with the other councils and Ngati Toa Rangatira is crucial to the successes we are starting to see in turning the tide on the health of our harbour,” says Mayor Nick Leggett.

“Porirua Harbour is beautiful and a special natural resource and we’re really excited about the way the community and organisations are pulling together to take better care of it now and for the future. It’s going to take time – there’s no quick fix – but we can get there,” Mayor Leggett says.

The “big three” challenges are to: reduce sedimentation, reduce pollution and restore the ecology of the harbour, says Porirua Harbour Strategy Coordinator Keith Calder.

“There are parts of the harbour that have been compromised by urban development over many years so that many people may not want to take kai moana from pockets of the harbour especially after heavy rainfall. But when looking at the whole harbour ecosystem people can aspire to a future when they can safely fish and play as a result the work that’s being carried out now by the three councils, Ngati Toa Rangatira and many active community groups.”

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Press Release, August 30, 2013