Facts
Taputeranga Marine Reserve is located close to Wellington's city centre. It lies in the confluence of three oceanic water bodies and currents, which bring together a unique and richly varied mixture of warm, cold, temperate, and subantarctic fauna and flora.
The northern and southern limits of many fish, invertebrates and algal species occur within the reserve. The complex topography of the coast and high energy of the coastal waters has created a wide variety of habitats within a relatively small area.
The Order-in-Council that created the reserve allows the existing moorings in Island Bay to remain; the continued use of crayfish holding pots, and consented structures such as storm water outlets and emergency sewer outfalls. The removal of some seaweed by the Wellington City Council may be approved.
Wellington's south coast has long been the focus of marine research. The close proximity of the reserve to New Zealand's capital city and the Victoria University of Wellington Coastal Marine Laboratory gives it the potential to become one of the most valuable natural laboratories in New Zealand.
About a kilometre west of the reserve are the Red Rocks and Sinclair Head Scientific Reserves. Pariwhero/Red Rocks are an outcrop of pillow lava formed around 200 million years ago by underwater volcanic eruptions. Sinclair Head/Te Rimurapa is a winter haul-out for New Zealand fur seal.
Te Kopahau Visitor Shelter at the Owhiro Bay road end, incorporating part of one of the old Owhiro Quarry buildings, features information panels highlighting the geology, flora and fauna, and history of the south coast.
What you can find in the reserve
Blue cod
Fish
Over 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 the seahorse. Although common, seahorses are well camouflaged during the day, but at night their eyes can be picked up by torchlight, shining like cats' eyes.
Invertebrates
The area is particularly rich in invertebrates (animals without backbones)
Octopus
Octopus, rock lobsters, crabs and starfish are common. The sandy shores are characterised by animals, such as shellfish and worms, which live in the sediment. Thriving on shady underwater rock walls, which are free from algae, are filter-feeding animals such as anemones, sea sponges and sea squirts.
Less common are the ancient brachiopods - shallow water shellfish with two different-sized hinged valves. The sea hare can also be found here, feeding on seaweed.
Seaweed
Providing habitat, food and shelter, almost half of New Zealand's 850 seaweed species can be found here.
Kelp forest, Island Bay
Hardy species able to tolerate burial and sand abrasion, such as Gymnogongrus furcatus, G.humilis, and G. torulosus are common on the sandy, exposed shores of the marine reserve.
The brown, leathery straps of Durvillaea antarctica (bull kelp), can be seen swirling near the surface in rough wave-exposed rocky shores.
In more sheltered spots, such as between Island Bay and Taputeranga Island, forests of Macrocystis pyrifera (giant kelp) up to 20m tall are found with blades floating on the surface.
Where are all the mussels?
Mussels are common in Wellington Harbour but absent from the south coast. Scientists believe this may be because of a shortage of food suspended in the water.
Protecting Wellington's south coast
A process of community consultation and application for the Taputeranga marine reserve began in 1991 by the South Coast Marine Reserve Coalition and Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand. The reserve was formally established in August 2008.
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