Restoring Whangarei Harbor

A Case Study in Seagrass Transplants and Ecosystem Recovery

Three people on a beach examining the sand and water with one writing, two kneeling and one standing with notes.

(Photo Credit: NIWA)

Seagrass meadows once covered 1,400 hectares of Whangarei Harbor, New Zealand, providing a crucial nursery for fish like Australasian snapper and trevally. However, industrial pollution and dredging in the 1970s nearly wiped them out. Thanks to improved water quality, restoration efforts began in 2008. Scientists transplanted healthy seagrass patches to Takahiwai sand flats, where they thrived and spread naturally. By 2012, these transplanted meadows became strong enough to serve as donor sites for new restoration projects. Today, seagrass is making a comeback, boosting fish populations and supporting the local Māori community that relies on the harbor’s resources.

Map showing the location of Auckland, New Zealand, marked with a blue pin, near the North Island of New Zealand in the Pacific Ocean, with a map of Australia and surrounding regions in the background.