Seaweek Speaker in Akaroa

The coast has been a great determiner of Akaroa’s economy, heritage and culture and in June New Zealand’s newest marine reserve will be opened. In celebration of all things coastal, Akaroa will host renowned marine expert, Professor Chris Battershill, as part of Seaweek celebrations in March.

“Akaroa’s economy and cultural heritage is hugely influenced by the sea, so it’s great that we’ve been able to attract such a high calibre speaker to inform and inspire us about the coastal treasures that surround our town” said Akaroa District Promotions Executive Officer, Hollie Hollander. “The new marine reserve will soon be gazetted, so it’s timely for us to celebrate Seaweek and acknowledge the significance of our coast.”

Professor Battershill’s presentation will expose the many components of the Akaroa Harbour Marine Reserve – from its biodiversity, its value to scientific discovery and how we can all help to future-proof New Zealand’s coastal estate. His talk will draw on his experience from around Banks Peninsula as well as around New Zealand and the Antarctic. He will describe the multiple pressures on our coasts currently and summarise the environmental response to the Rena incident by way of example.

This Seaweek presentation will also feature a fifteen minute presentation by Jacqueline Rose, who is completing a Lincoln University summer research baseline study examining the relationship between tourism marketing of marine protection measures and visitor awareness in Akaroa.

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