“IVF for Seaweed” – hope for Hauraki Gulf restoration

Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson is celebrating early progress in Auckland Council’s innovative marine restoration pilot having visited SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s last week to see the first baby kelp grown for the marine environment surrounding Te Ara Tukutuku.

The project – a partnership between Auckland Council, Mana Whenua and Toi Waihanga – has been underway since 2022 and is regenerating five hectares of former industrial land at Wynyard Point (the old tank farm) into Te Ara Tukutuku, a new public waterfront space shaped by mātauranga Māori and science.

While the land is being transformed above water, the kelp restoration work focuses on the surrounding marine environment, where the ecological recovery is taking place.

Deputy Mayor Simpson says seeing the tiny kelp seedlings firsthand highlighted the significance of the work.

“Watching these microscopic kelp being nurtured in the hatchery was remarkable – it’s essentially IVF for seaweed. By supporting kelp through its most vulnerable early stages, we’re giving it the best chance to survive and eventually rebuild underwater forests across the Hauraki Gulf.”

The seaweed seedlings are being attached to small artificial reef structures made partially from recycled shellfish waste from the aquaculture industry, and when ready for deployment, they will be placed on the seabed at the Te Ara Tukutuku site.

Across the Gulf, once‑abundant kelp forests have been replaced by kina barrens, with sedimentation, marine heatwaves and climate pressures further degrading reef ecosystems. Restoring kelp is a critical step in rebuilding biodiversity and resilience.

The seedlings Deputy Mayor Simpson viewed were grown by Greenwave Aotearoa, an EnviroStrat venture trialling scalable restoration tools. Director Rebecca Barclay‑Cameron says the early results are encouraging.

“The beautiful golden kelp Ecklonia radiata is a foundation species for healthy New Zealand reefs, but many kelp forests in the Hauraki Gulf have declined dramatically. Re‑establishing them can help restore habitat, biodiversity, water quality and ecosystem resilience.”

She says the team is focused on developing tools that communities, iwi and restoration partners can use at scale.

“One of the most promising techniques we have been testing is green gravel – small rocks coated in microscopic kelp. Once outplanted, this baby seaweed can anchor and grow into thriving kelp stands, creating refuge for fish and other marine life.”

Recent hatchery trials using broodstock from the Gulf confirm that local kelp can successfully settle and grow on green gravel. Further research with the University of Waikato is now refining the technique ahead of future deployment.

Deputy Mayor Simpson says Te Ara Tukutuku reflects the kind of collaborative action needed to restore the Gulf.

“Projects like this show the momentum we can build when innovation, mātauranga Māori and community action come together.”

And she says the early signs give her confidence for what lies ahead.

“Standing in the hatchery this week, looking at those tiny strands of life, I felt real hope. If we keep working together with this level of commitment and creativity, we can restore the mauri of the Hauraki Gulf for generations to come.”