When
you turn the globe such that it displays the most sea and the least land,
it would look like the picture shown here. Close to the centre of this
water hemisphere lies New Zealand, flanked by two continents, Australia
and Antarctica. This image reflects much about the nature of New Zealanders
who call themselves Kiwis after the endemic nocturnal bird. New Zealand
has enjoyed and suffered its isolation. Being remote from the population
centres has its advantages and disadvantages.
As
a colony of the British Empire, New Zealand was settled by British immigrants,
although a Dutch sea captain, Abel Tasman, discovered this country before
the British Captain Cook. The local inhabitants, the Maori, accepted the
arrival of the white man, the Pakeha, with mixed blessings. The newcomers
took land and power but they brought welfare and protection and a new kind
of income from land sales and trade. New Zealand's isolation has prevented
waves of immigrants so that the current population is around 4 million
people, most living in the main urban centres of Auckland, Wellington,
Hamilton, Christchurch and Dunedin. This makes New Zealand one of the least
populated countries in the world.
The
land, which was originally clad in variants of native bush and vegetation,
was mostly cleared to make way for grazing (Sheep on the hills, cattle
on the lowlands). With the invention of refrigerated freight, New Zealand
has been able to sell its agricultural products to its main market, Britain.
Since the consolidation of the European (Exclusive) Economic Community
(EEC), and its consequent restrictions on trade, New Zealand has developed
other markets, among them the USA, the Middle East and Japan. As a result
of reciprocal trade, NZ finds itself now on a veritable cross-roads of
cultures: Maori, Anglo-Saxon, European, American, Japanese. With the expansion
of trade to the Pacific Basin, the Asian 'tigers' of Singapore, Hongkong,
Taiwan, Korea, India and China have found a foothold here. Not surprisingly,
the variety of ethnic restaurants found in NZ's main centres is perhaps
second to none.
Due
to New Zealand's isolation and low population, the seas are still largely
unspoilt. With the establishment of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of
200 sea miles (370Km) around all land and islands, the fisheries in these
waters which previously were dominated by Japanese, Chilean and Russian
ships, could be controlled. New Zealand was the first to introduce a quota
system for fish catches. On an annual basis the Minister for Fisheries
establishes a Total Allowable Catch (TAC) for each commercial species.
It is thought that this method will be adequate for managing our fisheries
sustainably.
Unfortunately,
history could not prevent a number of fisheries collapses to happen, reason
why people within the academic community have been looking for alternatives
to protect the sea. The University of Auckland has a Marine Laboratory
near Leigh. This site was chosen because it is located on the boundary
of the protection offered by the Hauraki Gulf, enclosed by Little Barrier
and Great Barrier Islands. The lab's proximity to Goat Island would prove
to be a major benefit, since this island interrupts the monotony of the
exposed coast, providing sheltered habitats of various kinds. The sea is
clear beacause the area of land draining into it (its catchment area) is
small.
In
1975 an area around Goat Island was set aside for the nation's first marine
reserve, gazetted as the Cape Rodney to Okakari Point (CROP) marine reserve.
At the time, nobody could have imagined its ultimate popularity with the
general public who come here in droves in summer when the sun shines and
the sea is calm. Attracting about 160,000 visitors each year, the marine
reserve is now buckling under the burden of its success.
In June 1976 the Anthoni family who arrived in New Zealand in October 1975, bought a 25 acre (10 Ha) farmlet at the entrance to Goat Island road, which in 1993 opened its doors as the first marine education centre for the public. Since then the Seafriends Marine Conservation and Education Centre has gradually furthered the concept of marine conservation, while at the same time educating school children about the sea they will inherit. (See History)