Plans to install a set of short-stay moorings in the Caulerpa-affected waters of Great Barrier Island have been scrapped, after the Aotea / Great Barrier Local Board voted unanimously to abandon the project at its March meeting.
Initially framed as a tourism-friendly initiative to offset the anchoring bans introduced under the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Controlled Area Notices (CANs), the project would have seen ten screw-pile moorings installed in Tryphena and Whangaparapara harbours. The moorings were intended to minimise the spread of the invasive seaweed Caulerpa while still allowing visiting vessels to access the island.
However, the board has formally resolved that it “will not progress with the short-stay moorings project,” citing the project’s connection to the CAN and the likelihood the moorings might need to be removed earlier than planned. The board also raised concerns about “budgetary implications along with uncertainty on the long-term maintenance costs.”
The proposal, which carried a projected cost of around $200,000, was first outlined in late 2023. Despite support from figures including Auckland Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson and conditional funding from MPI, the project faced delays due to the complex consent process, iwi consultation, and contractor integration.
The moorings had been promoted as a biosecure alternative to anchoring, the board’s decision signals a shift in approach. In the same resolution, the board agreed to cover expenses incurred in investigating the project, and thanked staff for their “cross-council department support and hard mahi on this short-stay moorings project.”
The original proposal was part of the board’s broader attempt to mitigate the impacts of Caulerpa, which has significantly disrupted marine access since it was first detected at Aotea in 2021.
The short-stay moorings had been designed to offer a temporary solution, with web-based bookings and overnight vessel stays regulated under strict conditions.
For now, however, the board’s decision leaves the island’s western bays without a clear alternative for visiting boaties. The Controlled Area Notices remain in effect, and no replacement infrastructure has yet been proposed.
The vote to terminate the project was carried unanimously by Chairperson Izzy Fordham, Deputy Chair Chris Ollivier, and members Laura Caine, Patrick O’Shea, and Neil Sanderson.
