Te Whanganui-o-Hei/Cathedral Cove Marine Reserve

It is currently the only marine reserve in the Waikato region and Coromandel Peninsula.

Kina barrens

Kina (urchin) barrens are areas of rocky reef that lack natural kelp cover. Kina graze on kelp and their population increase leads to dramatic losses in kelp cover. Kelp is an important habitat and food source for marine communities, so when kelp forests are lost it affects the diversity and productivity of the whole ecosystem.

These barrens have become an ecological indicator for the overfishing of species that graze on kina, such as snapper and kōura. Scientists have found kina numbers increase when snapper and crayfish populations are reduced. Kina barrens are less common within marine reserves (including Te Whanganui-o-Hei), as the kina’s natural predators such as snapper and kōura have been able to recover.

Reporting pests

Find-A-Pest lets you report potential pest species, including marine, plant, animal and fungal species.

If you come across something out of the ordinary, upload a picture to the app and a specialist will help identify it. If it's a biosecurity threat, this will be forwarded to Biosecurity New Zealand. If possible, take photos and record the location and name of the vessel.

Or call the Ministry for Primary Industries' Pest and Diseases hotline on 0800 80 99 66.

Report illegal or suspicious activity

Don't take, disturb, kill or damage anything within the reserve - it's illegal. If you see people taking anything from the reserve, report the activity as soon as possible.

You can call 0800 4 POACHER (0800 476 224) or 0800 DOCHOT (0800 362 468).

It is also an offence to pollute or litter the reserve, discharge any firearm in or into the reserve or erect any structure in the reserve.