Laura Boren dances, runs, kayaks, makes jewellery, cooks Swahili, helps kids in East Africa and, at DOC, helps marine mammals by providing robust science advice. Come behind the scenes and into Laura’s world today on the blog.
Continue Reading...Archives For 30/11/1999
Today’s photo of the week is of a banded sea krait.
Sea kraits are occasional visitors to New Zealand’s waters but they are considered a native species because they arrive here naturally on ocean currents.
Sea kraits spend part of their time on land, drinking fresh water and laying their eggs there.
They are likely to be accidental visitors as New Zealand is outside their normal tropical range. They are found abundantly in the reef systems around Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia, and their usual prey is eels.
Photo by Tom Gruber | CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
By Te Anau Conservation Services Ranger, Chloe Corne
Unique, individually carved poupou marine reserve markers were installed across Fiordland and unveiled in a special ceremony. Read on to discover how it was done…
Each poupou has a unique face and body design carved by Bubba Thompson
For the Fiordland Marine Guardians, the unveiling of newly erected poupou marine reserve markers in Charles Sound/Taiporoporo represented an important milestone and was the rewarding culmination of several years’ collaborative planning.
In his address during the unveiling ceremony, Guardians Chairperson Malcolm Lawson, acknowledged the significant effort put forward by the collaboration of the Fiordland Marine Guardians, DOC and local iwi from the Ōraka-Aparima Rūnaka (the mandated Iwi Kaitiaki) on behalf of the wider Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.
Karanga perfomed by Rangimarie Suddaby, of the Ōraka-Aparima Rūnaka, during the unveiling ceremony on board the DOC vessel ‘Southern Winds’
While marine reserves are traditionally marked with white triangles, the poupou project derived from a mutual desire to put in place marine reserve markers more in keeping with the natural and cultural heritage of the fiords.
For Ngāi Tahu, the poupou symbolise enduring kaitiakitanga (guardianship) of Te Moana o Atawhenua (Fiordland).
Poupou at Wet Jacket Arm, Acheron Passage, overlooking the sound, with Fiordland Bottlenose Dolphins in the background
Poupou cut an impressive figure from the walls of the fiords
The project—led by Stewart Bull, the Ngāi Tahu representative on the Guardians, and project managed by DOC Senior Ranger Richard Kinsey—commissioned Bubba Thompson, a skilled local carver from the Awarua Rūnanga, to design and carve the poupou.
Each has the same basic shape, but with varying design differences in the face and body.
Designed to be both attractive and functional, they will be named after various ancestors from Kai Tahu Whānui history.
Production and installation of the poupou was jointed funded by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and DOC.
So far, ten poupou have been installed, in sometimes challenging wind and sea conditions.
High winds and steep, slippery rocks make installing some of the poupou difficult. Here Pete Young braces Allan Harms so that he can use the drill, while Ronnie Bull (above) keeps the poupou straight
Still to be installed are the markers for Te Hapua Marine Reserve in Sutherland Sound and Te Tapuwae o Hua (Long Sound) Marine Reserve.
DOC and the Fiordland Marine Guardians are yet to decide if the markers for the older reserves in Milford and Doubtful Sounds will be changed.
Fourteen new poupou, newly arrived from Bluff
With the new poupou now in place, marking not only the marine reserves but an important part of New Zealand’s cultural heritage, all of the DOC staff involved are celebrating it as a significant achievement and are looking forward to installing the last few poupou in the remaining reserves.
Today’s photo of the week is of a pod of playful dusky dolphins showing off their acrobatic skills near the Kaikoura coast.
Plans for a new marine reserve, whale and fur seal sanctuary, five customary fishing areas and amateur fishing regulations for Kaikoura’s coast and ocean were announced over the weekend.
This area is the most biologically rich ocean over 500 metres deep anywhere in the world, because of its deep canyon so close to shore.
It is hoped that these new marine protections and management tools will be in place by 2015.
This photo was taken by Bernd Plonderer | CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.
Come behind the scenes and into the jobs, the challenges, the highlights, and the personalities of the people who work at the Department of Conservation (DOC).
Today we profile Kris Ramm, a Science Advisor in DOC’s Marine Species and Threats team.
At work
Some things I do in my job include… working with the fishing industry and other to reduce the bycatch of protected birds, mammals, sharks and invertebrates by commercial fisheries.
Giving a talk to commercial fishers on seabird mitigation – though it looks more like an air guitar competition
What this tends to mean is that I spend lots of time talking to fishermen about their interactions with protected marine species and trying to get them to think about how to reduce those interactions.
We also work a lot with fisheries observers training them in protected species identification so that we get better information about what is happening at sea.
This helps achieve DOC’s vision by… raising awareness and ultimately reducing bycatch of many of our protected species, including the less cute and cuddly ones like spine-tailed devil rays and basking sharks.
The best bit about my job is… getting around the country and talking to a wide range of people with a very wide range of views about marine conservation.
I get to have some very interesting debates with fishermen. A lot of the work is in explaining the value of these animals and just how fragile some of the populations are.
Because the work of the team is so varied I get to be a part of some really interesting and ever changing work.
Struggling up the final hill at the last Makara Peak Relay
The awesome-est DOC moment I’ve had so far is… any time I’m out in the field to help remember why we do this in the first place. Maybe tracking little blue penguins on Adele Island in the Abel Tasman National Park. Spending the entire night waiting and listening out for those little critters then trying to be as gentle as you can while they’re doing their very best to slice your hands up.
The DOC (or previous DOC) employee that inspires or enthuses me most is… I have to pick two for this, Gen Spargo and Nick Fisentzidis out on Kapiti Island, wrangling tourists and keeping the island’s flora and fauna safe and happy. I’ve never met two people more passionate about conservation.
On a personal note
The song that always cheers me up is… Graceland – Paul Simon. I’ve got a pretty varied music taste but somehow keep coming back to that (the whole album actually).
My stomping ground is… the south coast of Wellington. Amazing diving (if not a tropical temperature) and awesome mountain bike tracks in the hills above.
My greatest sporting moment was… wakeboarding on a plank of wood while being towed by a speed boat in Antarctica. We were down there on a fishing boat for three months so had to occupy ourselves somehow.
Attempts at wakeboarding in -20C water in the Ross Sea
In my spare time I… mountain bike… constantly… some would say obsessively, anywhere I can get and anytime I can get out. Riding the Heaphy Track earlier this year was a revelation about how much fun multi-day rides can be.
Loaded down and ready to head off on the Heaphy Track
Before working at DOC I… worked as a fisheries observer on a whole range of different boats. My fist trip was two months on a Russian trawler, where only one of the 80 crew spoke any English, which made for a pretty steep learning curve—as did a diet mainly consisting of cottage cheese and sour cream.
My trusty hound and riding/diving buddy
Deep and meaningful
My favourite quote is… Lead me not into temptation… I can find my own way.
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is… New Zealand is a nice place, you should go visit (that was 14 years ago).
In work and life I am motivated by… being outdoors. Doesn’t matter what I’m doing, just being outside and getting to enjoy this amazing country.
My conservation advice to New Zealanders is… get out into the water and experience what we have, if more people do that, more people care and the conservation just grows from that.
Question of the week…
What three appliances in your home would you not want to live without?
Easy! Coffee machine, coffee grinder, sliding compound mitre saw (just because it’s awesome).
