Follow Us:

Gallery

Home Gallery

MMR visits college students

A team from the Ministry visited students from Titikaveka College and visiting Huanai College (Whangarei) yesterday. Acting Secretary and Director of Inshore Fisheries & Aquaculture Kori Raumea led the team which included Lab Technician Officer Stella Marsters, Fisheries Officer Tai Ravarua, Senior Fisheries Officer Sonny Tatuava, Communications Officer Helen Greig and Marine Scientists Kirby Morejohn and James Kora. The presentations by the team focused on inshore fisheries, marine surveys, and the water quality monitoring programme. After the presentation students from years 7 and 8 were able to get hands on with some of the lagoon’s most important marine life including sea cucumbers, urchins, sea stars. A big Meitaki Ma’ata to the students, teachers and parents that invited the team out and were great participants!

February 11 2019 - We talk to students on Women in Science Day

It’s been a #womeninscience kind of day!
Today we have been talking to students at Tereora, Titikaveka and Papa’aroa about our career paths as women in science.
Here are some snaps from Tereora College where we had a great bunch of students join MMR’s Senior Marine Ecologist Dr Lara Ainley and Tanga Morris, Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) Analyst of the Offshore Division to talk about studying science in school and university as well as career paths, especially in #marinescience.

January 25 2019 - Exploring aquaculture practices

Atiu Fisheries Officer Paul Upokokeu and Fisheries Officer Gordon Ariki Tua from the Inshore Fisheries & Aquaculture Division took part in the 2018 second Pacific Islands Country Fisheries Training Course in China from November 28 to December 18 last year.
They joined 21 participants from Tonga, Samoa, Fiji, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.
The training introduces fisheries officers from the Pacific to aquaculture farming skills and culturing techniques for marine and freshwater species.
“It exposed us to the fisheries industry of China,” says Paul. The training programme opened at the Guangdong Provincial Vocational School of Oceanographic Engineering. The trainees toured several aquaculture and fish processing plants during the course.

January 23 1019 - Fisheries Officers maintain dive skills

Last month a team from the Ministry took part in a dive trip in partnership with Dive Rarotonga Ltd for our diver skills development project. The Ministry has several certified divers and this initiative provides for monthly dives to maintain and develop their SCUBA skills. Marine Scientist Kirby Morejohn, Atiu Fisheries Officer Paul Upokokeu and Communications Officer Helen Greig completed dives under the project last month.
The Ministry has also invited other collaborating agencies, such as the National Environment Service, to join these dives when possible.
“Being a confident SCUBA diver is a requirement for many of our Fisheries Officers,” says Greig. “Several of our Fisheries Officers dive on a regular basis for work as well as recreation. Some of us are required to have dive certification to complete our work programmes, especially our inshore fisheries science team members.” Greig completed her PADI Open Water Certification years ago, but hadn’t been diving since. “I went through a refresher session with the team at Dive Rarotonga which helped me re-familiarise myself with the important skills needed for SCUBA. The diving experience itself was amazing. Our dive spots remain some of the best in the world and our marine life is stunning to see up close,” she says.
Greig says having the opportunity to dive on a regular basis adds to the range of skills she needs as a Senior Fisheries Officer, particularly for promoting the work of the Inshore Fisheries & Aquaculture Division, including Ridge to Reef Project activities. “The dive project is a great way to stay connected to the marine environment that we are working to conserve, manage and develop through the work we do. It definitely motivated me to keep learning about our marine life and how critical the health of our lagoons, reefs and oceans are to us as stewards of these resources.” PHOTOS: Kirby Morejohn and Paul Upokokeu (see images for credits).

October 19 2018 - Fresh fish for World Food Day

What a great #WorldFoodDay event today at the Punanga Nui Market.
This year we are supporting the Junior Chef’s Competition with some prize packs! Thank you to Ocean Fresh for partnering with us again and donating some beautiful fresh fish for today’s event. The Chef’s Association members were making good use of it – visitors to the big tent were able to get a taste for themselves!