Scuba Diving Gold

Posts Tagged ‘Taputeranga Marine Reserve’

Sometime ago I mentioned heading out to scuba dive in New Zealand’s newest marine reserve the Taputeranga Marine Reserve. The reserve is about two years old and I had not been for a dive there since it before it had become closed off to fishing/hunting/collecting in 2008.

My first thoughts entering the water was how much growth and how very colourful it was. There were loads of seaweeds, sea anemones, starfish and lots of little fish scooting around the rock and weeds.

The next thing I noticed was the paua (abalone). This was very exciting for me as paua were plentyful where none had lived before. Not just baby paua these were large and looked like they had been around for a while (probably about two years come to think on it).

THEN … the most amazing thing was the large blue moki that I spotted swimming around … I was able to get within 2 metres and film it. Now this was absolutely thrilling since these fish are known as good eating and have been (spear) hunted up and down this coast for a long time … to see one just going about its day with no concern for me swimming up to it was incredible.

I am very happy that the marine reserve is doing it’s job of rebuilding the natural stocks of marine life in this important area and did not realise how barren and devoid of marine life it was until I saw what is living there now!