Organisers are hoping up to 300 tamariki will attend one of a series of fun-filled Seaweek-themed Enviroschools Encounter events being held around the region.

Seaweek - Kaupapa Moana is New Zealand's annual national week celebrating the sea and runs from March 5 to 13. Seaweek is coordinated nationally by Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre (MERC)

Council chair Tui Shortland says in Northland, Seaweek is being marked with a series of encounters for youngsters organised by Enviroschools. The Northland Regional Council (NRC) introduced the popular Enviroschools programme to Northland in 2004 and there are now more than 140 schools, kindergartens and early childhood centres in the programme region-wide.

The free encounters for Year 4 to Year 8 students run from 9am to 3pm and will take place at Kaipara’s Pahi hall and boat club on Wednesday 22 March, Whangarei’s Hihiaua Cultural Centre on Friday 24 March and the Taipa Beach Resort on Friday 28 April.

The early childhood encounters (which are also free) will be held on the same dates and at the same locations, but will run for an hour at a time over several time slots.

Both encounters will see children explore te moana, with the Yr 4-8 students learning how to be safe when diving, biscuiting or fishing, finding out how pests affect the marine food web and learning about Māori traditional knowledge and techniques for sourcing kaimoana.

Activities for the younger participants include playing a fishing game, pretending to save a shorebird by trapping a rat, hunting for rubbish on the seashore and enjoying face painting with a te moana theme.

Registrations for the Year 4-8 encounter can be made at: http://bit.ly/3lDoin1 and for the early childhood event at https://bit.ly/EncountersECE

Meanwhile, Chair Shortland says as well as the Enviroschools events, Seaweek will also be marked with several snorkel dates, organised by Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) and NRC.

• Tuesday 21 March 2023, 6.30-9.30pm, Matapōuri Estuary (night snorkel)
• Sunday 26 March 2023, 10am - 3pm, Reotahi
• Saturday 01 April 2023, time TBC, Deep Water Cove, Manganui Bay

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