Creating a Garden of Eden

BY PAUL EASTON

A year after Taputeranga Marine Reserve was established on Wellington's south coast, there are signs of a slow recovery.

The 854-hectare Taputeranga Marine Reserve  opened in August last  year, six kilometres  from the centre of Wellington city, and literally across  the road from suburban homes.

No removal or disturbance of living or non-living marine items is now allowed, except for research. That means no crayfish gathering, no paua diving and no fishing.

One year on, recreational divers say there have been signs of a recovery, though it is not a maritime Garden of Eden just yet. "You see a few more crayfish and fish, but it's still early days. It's nothing like what it will be in 10 or 15 years," Wellington diver Ben Knight said.

"It's a relatively small area, and there's a lot of pressure on the fishery from outside the reserve."

Splash Gordon's dive course director, Dave Drane, said increased numbers of crayfish and paua were already apparent, although they were small in size.

Blue cod and blue moki were also more plentiful, and venturing closer to shore, with divers now toting underwater cameras instead of spearguns. "Within just 20 metres you see a lot more fish."

The chance to dive on the sunken frigate Wellington, which lay within the reserve, was also popular, he said.

Dive staff were still telling people seen with catch bags about the marine reserve. "Most of them don't mean any harm, they just don't realise it's there."

Dive instructor Laurence Sunshine said the reserve's recovery would be slow. "It was overfished for years."

Eventually big crayfish would stay in the reserve all year round, rather than moving around. "That's when we'll know it's really hit."

Half a dozen students from Victoria University are observing the reserve's recovery.

However, from a scientific perspective, the recovery was not yet noticeable, marine scientist Jonathan Gardner said.

"It's not something we would expect to see yet."

But anecdotal evidence from divers of the reserve's slow restoration was wonderful, he said.

Cool waters off Wellington meant species grew - and recovered - slowly, and the students were collecting rather than analysing data at this early stage.

Conservation Department biodiversity manager Peter Simpson said Island Bay locals were protective of "their" marine reserve, and quick to call the department if they saw anything untoward happening.

"That shows the community are taking an interest in it. It's a community asset, it's not owned by DOC, our role is to manage it on their behalf."

People found taking fish can be liable for a jail term of up to three months and a fine of up to $10,000.

Culprits tended to be out-of- towners, he said. No one had yet been charged, with the department taking an educational approach. "But that could change tomorrow. We're taking it case by case."

WHAT YOU CAN FIND IN THE RESERVE

Fish: More than 180 fish species have been recorded on Wellington's south coast. Common species include butterfish, blue moki, blue cod, banded wrasse, variable triplefin and spotty. Occasionally seen species include snapper, long-tailed stingray and seahorse.

Invertebrates: The area is particularly rich in invertebrates (animals without backbones). Octopus, rock lobsters, crabs and starfish are common. Thriving on shady underwater rock walls are filter-feeder animals such as anemones, sea sponges and sea squirts.

Seaweed: Almost half of New Zealand's 850 seaweed species, including giant kelp, can be found in the reserve. Source: Conservation Department

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