Year 13 student, Frank Du, participated in the Ocean Youth Aotearoa Winter Programme. It is aimed at rangatahi between the ages of 13-17 who are passionate about our moana and contributing to positive action for our oceans. He writes about his experience below:
During a five-day trip to SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium, I successfully gained an understanding of the harm that modern society and humanity inflict on marine life, and how positive changes can be made to restore and even improve the environment.
On the first day, we met each other and the three aquarium staff members who led our group. They also invited Jeff from the University of Auckland. He demonstrated how to use designated areas to assess animal cover on the beach and in the sea, and explained how excessive pollution has led to a sharp decline in marine life within the areas covered by our modern technology.
On the second day, we visited the research facility that SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s collaborates on with the Goat Island Marine Reserve and the University of Auckland. We learned that seaweed and kelp in the ocean are gradually disappearing due to sea urchins eating them, and that the University of Auckland, related research institutions, and SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s are working to restore the ecological cycle from Auckland’s nearshore to offshore areas for the sustainable development of the oceans in the future.
On the third day, we boarded a boat in the bay next to the aquarium and went to the nearshore waters of Mission Bay. Using underwater robots and GoPros, we filmed the seabed and compared it to the situation in 2018. We saw the results of the environmental protection efforts; the underwater environment was no longer barren, a significant improvement compared to 2018, and we could even see schools of small fish swimming.
On the fourth day, we visited the Auckland Zoo and met with their animal rescue staff. They explained how they rescue animals and release them into the wild or take them into their care.
On the fifth and final day, we compiled our research findings and what we had learned into a report and presented it to visiting administrators and other parents, sharing what we had learned and gained.
Frank Du – Year 13
