On Wednesday 5th of May, a petition by Omaha local Mary Coupe to ‘Protect Rock Pool Sea Life’ was presented to Parliament.

Mary Coupe is passionate about preserving our rock pools and shoreline for future generations to enjoy, as well as upkeeping the balance of these incredibly delicate ecosystems.

Mary first raised the issue when she noticed people harvesting large amounts of periwinkle from the pools. After doing some research, she was shocked to find that this activity was completely legal, with no restrictions on what could be taken.  

“I thought to myself, ‘what is the future that I want to create?’” says Mary.

Her answer was simple: “I want future children to discover the wonder of nature up close and personal, and I want there to be fairness and harmony among people with each other, and with nature.

“Humans are discovering at our own peril how out of whack we are with nature. You cannot touch one thing in these ecosystems without interrupting the natural balance and affecting every little part of it.”

So, she began looking at what she could do to protect the magical little worlds that can be found in rockpools, and after getting in contact with local MP Chris Penk, she started a petition that quickly gathered over 3,000 signatures. 

Mary and her husband Tony erected signs at the southern end of Omaha, informing people of just how much the collecting of shellfish from the rockpools could damage the ecosystem forever. The signs seem to have worked well so far, with a decrease in reports of people harvesting from this area. 

However, as Mary said, this problem doesn't just affect Omaha. Stopping shellfish collecting in Omaha is a step in the right direction, but this is an issue that is affecting all of New Zealand's coastline. If we want the magic of rockpools to be preserved for the children of the future, this needs to be addressed.

Now that the petition has been heard by parliament, it will likely be a few weeks before the next step of the process in which Mary will speak directly and present her findings to parliament. They are hoping that parliament will grant a temporary ban on collecting from the area, as per section 186 in the Fisheries Act (which can be found here).

“Ideally, by this summer we would like to have a ban on collecting from the Omaha rockpools” says Mary.

In the meantime, Mary is continuing conversation with local Iwi and Kaitiaki Eddie Watts to place a ban or rahui on our area and other areas nearby who also are experiencing over-harvesting.

The Tiaki Promise is a commitment to care for New Zealand for now, and for future generations, and it is something that resonates with Mary. It is something that all Kiwis and visitors to our incredible country should keep in mind as they experience all the New Zealand has to offer. 

The Tiaki Promise is as follows:

While living or travelling in New Zealand I will

Care for land, sea and nature, treading lightly and leaving no trace

Travel safely, showing care and consideration for all

Respect culture, travelling with an open heart and mind.