Bay Harbour: June 26, 2019
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Wednesday <strong>June</strong> <strong>26</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
BAY HARBOUR<br />
PAGE 15<br />
Calls for ‘control’ over<br />
shellfish gathering<br />
Linwood-<br />
Central-<br />
Heathcote<br />
Community<br />
Board and Avon<br />
Heathcote Ihutai<br />
Estuary Trust<br />
Board member<br />
Tim Lindley writes about<br />
the community’s reaction<br />
to shellfish gathering in the<br />
estuary<br />
THE IMPACT of shellfish<br />
gathering in the estuary on<br />
shellfish numbers, birdlife<br />
and human health has been<br />
of growing concern for local<br />
communities. To help everyone<br />
better understand these issues,<br />
the Avon Heathcote Estuary<br />
Ihutai Trust recently hosted a<br />
public meeting at the Mt Pleasant<br />
Community Centre.<br />
About 90 attended and<br />
a lively discussion ensued.<br />
Presenters included marine<br />
biology professor Islay Marsden,<br />
medical officer of health Alistair<br />
Humphrey, representatives<br />
from the Ministry for Primary<br />
Industries, and estuary birdlife<br />
expert Andrew Crossland.<br />
AHEIT chairman Kit<br />
Doudney welcomed everyone<br />
then facilitator Gay Pavelka<br />
sought questions from the floor,<br />
and asked various experts to<br />
comment.<br />
Dr Marsden noted student<br />
research, commissioned by<br />
AHEIT, showed that cockle<br />
numbers had dropped from<br />
about 500 to 200 per square<br />
metre in collection areas and<br />
there is a concerning change in<br />
the ratio of adults to juveniles.<br />
Care has to be taken with these<br />
numbers as the survey was<br />
limited and more research is<br />
needed.<br />
Dr Humphrey said all sorts<br />
of muck from the streets of<br />
Christchurch gets washed into<br />
the estuary, including copper<br />
from brake pads, and dog faeces.<br />
Filter feeding estuary shellfish<br />
simply are not safe to eat and<br />
there are other, safer places to<br />
gather from.<br />
Dr Crossland said the main<br />
birds affected are oyster-catchers.<br />
They are very mobile so if the<br />
estuary has human disturbance<br />
and fewer cockles, they will<br />
quickly prefer somewhere else.<br />
He also has good connections<br />
with migrants from Southeast<br />
Asia, where shellfish gathering is<br />
commonplace, and has discussed<br />
that our estuary is different from<br />
the warm waters of the tropics<br />
where replenishment happens<br />
much faster. He helped give a<br />
very human perspective on those<br />
who gather seafood.<br />
The discussion then moved to<br />
potential solutions. The feeling<br />
from the floor was that a ban is<br />
not needed but control is.<br />
The Ngai Tuahuriri<br />
representatives said almost all<br />
parties seem of the same mind.<br />
They offered to work with<br />
AHEIT, as tools within their<br />
customary rights – for example<br />
mataitai – could help protect the<br />
estuary.<br />
There was strong support<br />
from the floor for exploring<br />
this approach further. This was<br />
an extraordinarily successful<br />
event ending in a consensus and<br />
community-driven pathway<br />
forward.<br />
HISTORIC: Little River’s Coronation Library was built to mark<br />
the coronation of King George V in 1913.<br />
New use for old library<br />
• By Jess Gibson<br />
LITTLE RIVER’S historic<br />
Coronation Library will be<br />
restored and become a base for<br />
community activities.<br />
The Banks Peninsula<br />
Community Board<br />
approved the future<br />
use of the 108-yearold<br />
building on<br />
Christchurch Akaroa<br />
Rd as a base for the<br />
Little River Wairewa<br />
Community Trust.<br />
The trust will hold<br />
commemorations, meetings and<br />
cultural events in the building.<br />
However, first the trust will<br />
need a community partnership<br />
agreement with the city council<br />
before the building can be<br />
restored for $650,000.<br />
A full scope of work to<br />
Mario<br />
Downes<br />
repair the building will also be<br />
prepared and the work tendered.<br />
Little River Wairewa<br />
Community Trust acting<br />
chairman Mario Downes said<br />
the community board’s<br />
decision was “good news.”<br />
“Obviously a bit of<br />
work has gone on in the<br />
background to try and<br />
secure it. It will be good to<br />
have the building in use<br />
again,” Mr Downes said.<br />
The trust currently holds<br />
its meeting in the Little River<br />
Library and Service Centre.<br />
The Coronation Library was<br />
built to mark the coronation of<br />
King George V. It was opened in<br />
1913, and was used as a library<br />
until 2000.<br />
It was damaged in the<br />
September 2010 and February<br />
2011 earthquakes.<br />
PUT ASHES IN A<br />
METAL BUCKET<br />
TO COOL<br />
THEY CAN STILL START<br />
A FIRE FOR UP TO 5 DAYS<br />
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