Recreation – Page 3 – MIL-OSI Export

Usually, there are only calm currents at Auckland’s Western Springs Lake.

But this week, electrocurrents are being used to stun pest fish and turtles so they can be scooped up, brought to land and killed.

Associate Professor in Biodiversity and Ecology at the University of Waikato’s School of Science, Nicolas Ling, is one of the specialists scooping up hundreds of koi carp, including goldfish and brown bullhead catfish, on New Zealand’s only electrofishing boat.

He said no native species would be harmed by the electrofishing process.

“It puts a pulsed electric current into the water, and it temporarily stuns the fish, which means we can recover them. The native species, we can recover those, and we can put them back in the lake unharmed, and the pest species, we can humanely euthanise them.”

Ling said catfish were most likely released into the lake more than a hundred years ago. Koi were believed to have been introduced into New Zealand in the 1960s.

But he said most of the goldfish and turtles in the lake were people’s unwanted pets.

“People think they’re doing the right thing, you know, when they don’t want their pet anymore, they go and release it into the local lake. And it’s actually the worst thing you can do. If you want to take on a pet, then take it on for the course of its natural life.”

He said they were also removing red-eared slider turtles from the lake.

“Again, these are pets that people have released when they no longer want them. The problem with the turtle is, if you take that on as a pet, it’s a 50-year commitment. It’s a multi-generational pet. They get huge and it becomes very expensive to provide the habitat for an adult turtle. And so people just go and release them, which is a sad thing.”

Associate Professor in Biodiversity and Ecology at the University of Waikato’s School of Science Nicolas Ling. Nick Monro

All of the pests collected were brought back to shore to be killed and then taken off-site to be turned into compost or rendered down to produce natural gas.

While killing the pests was not a pretty sight, Ling said it was necessary.

“These particular species are known to cause negative impacts on water quality. The lake should be nice and clean, but it’s not, and the fish are definitely contributing to that. They stir up the bottom sediments, and that resuspends nutrients back into the water column, which can cause increases in algal growth and bacterial growth.

“The koi and the goldfish eat the plants in the lake, which also take out nutrients.

“Those challenges with water quality mean that it makes it potentially unsafe for recreation around the lake. You don’t want to be touching the water.

“There’s fantastic bird life around here. When the water quality is really poor, they can suffer from a disease called avian botulism.

“And of course, they’re competing with the native species as well. There are lots of eels in the lake, and that’s good to see. There are also īnanga, which are key whitebait species. There’s common smelt in the lake as well.”

The lake was home to three native eel species: the short-finned eel, the long-finned eel, and the Australian long-finned eel, and there are plans to declare the lake an eel sanctuary.

The Waikato University specialists would be at the lake for one week ending on Friday, 13 November, with the council saying there were plans for them to return in the near future to continue the pest removal operation.

Auckland Council Senior Freshwater Advisor Matthew Bloxham. Nick Monro

Auckland Council Senior Freshwater Advisor, Matthew Bloxham, said the council had previously tried other techniques to remove pests from the lake, but this was the first time they had brought in an electrofishing boat.

He said so far it had been a success.

The team at Western Springs had caught Koi weighing up to 14kg. The largest Koi ever caught in New Zealand weighed 15kg.

Invasive fish are being caught and eliminated in Western Springs. Nick Monro

“Not many people realise that they get so large,” Bloxham said.

We’ve found quite a few diseased goldfish in here recently. So, putting them in here doesn’t necessarily give them a better life. It’s actually passing on the problem to somebody else, in this case the environment.

“It’s far better to repurpose that goldfish or re-home it, reach out and see whether anybody’s prepared to take it on and there will be people out there, you know, people love goldfish, they are attractive things after all, but they’re a nuisance when they’re released into the wild.”

It was costing the council $20,000 to rent the electric fishing boat from Waikato University.

“The cost of this operation is not cheap. We’d prefer not to be spending the targeted rate on controlling pests. We’d rather spend it on direct biodiversity outcomes, such as planting trees, but it’s a necessary evil. We have to maintain these fish at really low numbers.”

“It only takes two fish, a male and a female, to breed up and to produce the sorts of volumes that we’re seeing here now. We’ve been fishing all week, and so far we’re just under 300 kilograms of fish. That’s hundreds of fish.”

Auckland Council Senior Freshwater Advisor Matthew Bloxham says eradication is the goal, but that won’t happen if people keep putting their goldfish in the lake. Nick Monro

Bloxham said eradication was the goal, but that wouldn’t happen if people kept putting their goldfish in the lake.

“If ever we do achieve eradication, and we’d really like to, that is our end goal, it’s so easily undone by somebody otherwise well-mannered person who thinks they’re doing their gold fish a favour and then just quietly, surreptitiously emptying them into the lake, and suddenly we’re back to square one.

“The big message that we’re trying to get out is that if you’re contemplating, you’ve reached the end of the year, and you’ve got a pet, you don’t know what to do with it, don’t release it into your waterway.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/12/pest-cull-at-aucklands-western-springs-lake-using-electrocurrents/

February 11, 2026

NZ’s biggest triathlon festival toasts 20 years – Challenge Wānaka

Source: Challenge Wānaka

Next week’s anticipated Challenge Wānaka marks 20 years of New Zealand’s largest triathlon festival, which has attracted more than 25,000 athletes and injected more than $54 million into the local economy over the past two decades.

Part of the global Challenge Family – which runs middle and long-distance triathlon races in more than 30 countries – the Challenge Wānaka Half has been a cornerstone of NZ’s triathlon scene since 2007. It is regarded as a stepping stone for talented young age-group triathletes hoping to qualify for pinnacle world championship events and turn pro. It’s also a key event for the Wānaka community, providing an annual economic boost for the tourism town.

Challenge Wānaka event director Jane Sharman says that while road bikes, wetsuits and race tech have vastly improved over the past two decades, the pulling power of the event for triathletes and spectators remains the same.

“As we reflect on 20 years, it’s very exciting to see how far the festival has come and everything our athletes have achieved,” she says. “Challenge Wānaka has played a part in launching some incredible pro athletes and international racing careers. But it’s also a fantastic grassroots event where anyone can take part, in the most beautiful corner of the world.

“Of course, the youth events have long been a highlight and some of our pro athletes who started out racing in Challenge Wānaka are now watching their own children participate, so it’s very special for them.”

One of those athletes is two-time Challenge Wānaka winner and former Team NZ cyclor Dougal Allan, who will be cheering on his own children, Flynn and Matilda, at the Challenge Wānaka triathlon festival next week. Some 2100 kids will be taking part in the festival this year, from age two and up.

“Competing in and eventually winning Challenge Wānaka in 2016 and 2017 launched my profile into the world of international triathlon,” he says. “Challenge Wānaka was always known as one of the toughest and most honest long-distance triathlon events in the world and winning it was a huge badge of honour. It also led to being invited to race the famous Challenge Roth event in 2017 in Germany, which remains one of the biggest racing experiences of my life.

“Whether it is an athlete’s ambition to race pro or not, Challenge Wānaka offers the opportunity to be part of a very professionally organised event that offers so much across the weekend, from the event village to the crowd support. It is a truly internationally recognised event that’s made very accessible to domestic athletes. While these days I’m no longer competing, it’s great to be coaching some of those athletes lining up for next weekend’s race.”

The event welcomes athletes from all over NZ and the world every year, and some from closer to home, too. Wānaka GP Dr Andrew McLeod has participated in every Challenge Wānaka race since its inception.

“I don’t remember much of that first race in 2007 but I clearly remember crossing the line, already analysing what I’d done wrong, what I’d somehow done right, and how I’d do it better next time,” he recalls. “Twenty years on – and after races across NZ, Australia, North America and Europe – I’m still learning.

“Along the way my wife Karen and I have been to amazing places, met wonderful people, and so often heard the words: ‘You’re from Wānaka? I’ve always wanted to do that event.’ Being part of something that inspires that reaction is pretty special, and it’s probably why I keep coming back.”

This year’s Challenge Wānaka brings together more than 850 athletes competing in the Gallagher Insurance Challenge Wānaka Half, including 376 athletes in the individual half event. The anticipated professional field features Mike Phillips, Frederic Funk, Jack Moody, Tamara Jewett, Rebecca Clarke, Gabrielle Lumkes, and Lucy Byram. More than 155 teams are also entered, with 18 teams vying for the Gallagher Insurance Corporate Trophy, while friends and family team up for a fun day of swim, bike, and run. Media personality Brodie Kane will take on the 1.9km swim as part of a relay team.

The 2026 Gallagher Insurance Challenge Wānaka Half is also an opportunity for age-group athletes to claim a National Title and qualify to wear the silver fern at the 2026 World Championships, as part of the Tri NZ Suzuki Series.

“This year’s event is set to be extra special to celebrate 20 years of Challenge Wānaka,” Sharman says. “This festival has always been about more than racing; it’s about community, resilience and the shared excitement of pushing boundaries in one of the world’s most scenic locations. We’re incredibly proud of the athletes, volunteers and supporters who return year after year to help make Challenge Wānaka a standout on the world triathlon stage.”

About Gallagher Insurance Challenge Wānaka
The Gallagher Insurance Challenge Wānaka is one of the world’s most scenic triathlon festivals, held annually in New Zealand’s stunning Southern Lakes region. Featuring a range of events, including the flagship middle-distance triathlon, multisport races, and AquaBike, the festival welcomes athletes of all levels. Operated by the Challenge Wānaka Sports Trust, a charitable organisation committed to community wellbeing, the event supports youth, adaptive athletes, and local charities through inclusive sport and recreation initiatives. In 2026, the Challenge Wānaka Festival event will mark its 20th year, taking place from February 19 – February 21. Registrations at www.challenge-wanaka.com

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/11/nzs-biggest-triathlon-festival-toasts-20-years-challenge-wanaka/

February 10, 2026

Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited announces annual results for the financial year ended December 31, 2025

Source: Media Outreach

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 February 2026

2025 Annual Results – Financial Highlights

(Figures for the corresponding period in 2024 are shown in brackets)

Consolidated revenue: HK$1,046million (HK$695million)

Consolidated net loss attributable to equity holders of the Company:
HK$69 million (HK$230million)

Basic loss per share: 3.38 HK cents (11.29 HK cents)

No final dividend (No final dividend)

Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited (“PCPD”, SEHK: 00432) has announced its annual results for the year ended December 31, 2025.

The consolidated revenue of PCPD and its subsidiaries (together, the “Group”) amounted to HK$ 1,046 million, representing an increase of 51% compared to the revenue of HK$ 695 million in 2024.

The consolidated net loss attributable to equity holders of the Company for the year of 2025 was HK$ 69 million, compared to the net loss of HK$ 230 million in 2024.

Basic loss per share for 2025 was 3.38 Hong Kong cents compared to the loss per share of 11.29 Hong Kong cents for the previous year.

The Board of Directors has not recommended the payment of a final dividend for the year ended December 31, 2025.

In 2025, PCPD achieved robust full-year results, driven by the sustained surge in international travel across our key Asian markets, our operational strengths, and the continued recognition of our high-quality portfolio. This performance was underpinned predominantly by contributions from two segments: Park Hyatt Niseko, Hanazono, our hospitality business in Hokkaido, which delivered a notable rise in occupancy and revenue, and our ski and recreation operations in Niseko, Hokkaido, which also saw a surge in demand and revenue.

Park Hyatt Niseko, Hanazono, our hotel operations in Hokkaido, delivered a robust performance in 2025, as the boom in Japan‘s tourism sector continued throughout the year, again with record-breaking tourist arrivals. The average occupancy rate of Park Hyatt Niseko increased by 4 percentage points.

During the winter season of 2024/2025, total ski-lift and gondola rides increased 9% year-on-year. The travel surge continued to drive robust demand for our recreational business in Niseko well beyond the cold months.

In Phang Nga, Thailand, the Group has sold or reserved 40% of Phase 1A villas. The Group’s revenue from its property development in Thailand totalled HK$14 million for the year ended December 31, 2025, compared to no revenue in 2024.

We formed a strategic alliance with Hotel Properties Limited in Singapore to bring a Four Seasons Resort and Branded Residences to the prestigious integrated resort community of Aquella in Phang Nga. The move represents a significant milestone in PCPD‘s long-term vision of transforming Aquella into a visionary integrated resort destination that effortlessly blends luxury living, recreation and exceptional service.

In Jakarta, Indonesia, the occupancy of our premium commercial building, Pacific Century Place, Jakarta (“PCP Jakarta”), was stable throughout the year, and the project remained a consistent revenue contributor to the Group. As of December 31, 2025, the office space committed occupancy was 87%, compared to 85% in the previous year.

Development of the superstructure of the Group‘s project at 3–6 Glenealy, Central, Hong Kong, has been progressing well. We have reached a key structural milestone, with the superstructural work now completed and installation of the curtain walls progressing at pace. The name of the development has also been unveiled as “Central Residence by the Park”, and its completion is scheduled for the first half of 2026.

In the long run, we remain cautiously optimistic about the long-term outlook for property sectors in Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand and Indonesia. With PCPD‘s disciplined execution and proactive risk management, we have confidence in our ability to drive continued growth and deliver sustained value.

Mr. Benjamin Lam, PCPD’s Deputy Chairman and Group Managing Director, said: “We will maintain our prudent yet proactive approach, allocating resources carefully and pursuing value-enhancing initiatives. Our priority remains to drive sustainable growth, improve profitability, and deliver solid returns to shareholders and stakeholders.”

Hashtag: #PacificCenturyPremiumDevelopments

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/10/pacific-century-premium-developments-limited-announces-annual-results-for-the-financial-year-ended-december-31-2025/

February 9, 2026

China’s Langzhong Ancient City Extends a Global Invitation to Experience Authentic Festivities

Source: Media Outreach

NANCHONG, CHINA – Media OutReach Newswire – 9 February 2026 – On February 4, at a briefing on cultural and tourism activities for the 2026 Spring Festival hosted by the Sichuan Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism, Nanchong City announced an extended Spring Festival holiday (from the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month to the sixteenth day of the first lunar month of the following year, that is, from January 26 to March 4 of the solar calendar), inviting visitors from around the world to Langzhong, known as the “Ancient City of the World and Birthplace of the Spring Festival”, to experience the most authentic and abundant traditions of the Chinese Lunar New Year.

The “Old Man of the Spring Festival” parades through the streets of Langzhong Ancient City while offering blessings.

The celebrations feature a wide range of programs designed to offer residents and visitors alike an immersive cultural experience. Visitors can explore the “Langzhong Stone Rubbing Exhibition for the Lunar New Year”, which showcases precious rubbings of stone inscriptions dating back 1,500 years, and trace the past through their tangible imprints. They may also encounter the “Old Man of the Spring Festival” roaming the streets in traditional costumes to bestow blessings and offer traditional New Year’s greetings.

To enrich the visitor experience, the ancient city has curated a wide array of interactive experiences, with millennium-old folk customs unfolding one after another. A vibrant intangible cultural heritage (ICH) market will present more than 40 nationally and provincially recognized ICH items. Visitors can try their hand at crafting delicate shadow puppets or cutting festive paper window decorations. They may also choose to watch a performance of the Ba Commandery Nuo Opera, a representative ICH item of Sichuan Province that blends ancient ritual practices with folk opera and carries a distinctive sense of regional mystique. Running throughout the festive period, the New Year Grand Temple Fair brings together cultural performances, themed exhibitions, and modern recreational attractions. Whether watching the large-scale cultural stage play Legend of Langyuan or experiencing water tours or low-altitude flights, visitors of all ages are sure to be thoroughly entertained.

Crowds fill the streets of Langzhong Ancient City, Langzhong City, Sichuan Province.

Langzhong’s reputation as the “Ancient City of the World and Birthplace of the Spring Festival” stems from Luo Xiahong, an astronomer of the Western Han Dynasty, who compiled the groundbreaking Taichu Calendar here. Luo was the first to incorporate the 24 solar terms into the Chinese calendrical system and to designate the first day of the first lunar month as the official start of the year, thereby establishing the Spring Festival as a fixed annual celebration. For this historic contribution, he is revered as the original “Old Man of the Spring Festival”. This calendar profoundly shaped Chinese agriculture and folk life for more than two millennia, securing Langzhong’s place as one of the cradles of Spring Festival culture. Today, Langzhong Ancient City stands ready to extend its warmest welcome to every visitor from afar, offering the most authentic New Year customs and the most heartfelt warmth of its people.

Hashtag: #NanchongInformationOffice

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/09/chinas-langzhong-ancient-city-extends-a-global-invitation-to-experience-authentic-festivities/

February 9, 2026

Concerns about increased ‘nangs’ use in Hawkes Bay being aimed at young people

Source: Radio New Zealand

Cartridge of nitrous oxide, also called laughing gas or nangs, can cause serious health problems. AFP/ GARO

A significant jump in the recreational use of nitrous oxide, or nangs, has community leaders worried, with claims big canisters of the gas are being marketed to children.

Nitrous oxide is a colourless gas, known as laughing gas, which is used as a painkiller in medical and dental procedures.

It is also used in catering to make whipped cream.

If inhaled recreationally nangs can have dangerous long-term side effects like nerve damage in the brain and spinal cord.

Under the Psychoactive Substances Act it’s illegal to sell the product for recreational use.

In recent weeks, dozens of the discarded canisters have started turning up in the Hawke’s Bay prompting a crisis meeting.

Stewart Whyte of Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga called the hui and told Checkpoint they were made aware of the issue through a retailer in the area.

“We just got a contact through one of the retailers here that actually works with oxygen bottles for dive supplies and things like that… and he had collected quite a few apple bins [worth] over a short period of time.”

A 1.6 litre cannister of nitrous oxide. Photo / File Supplied

Whyte said the largest canisters they had found had been around the size of a large thermos flask.

“They’re marketed in such a way that they’re very colourful and obviously aimed at young people. They certainly don’t look like industrial canisters for making whipped cream.”

While medical grade nitrous oxide is mixed with oxygen, Whyte said these canisters are purely nitrous oxide, making them extremely dangerous.

“These big canisters, I believe, have about 300 hits within each one.”

Whyte is worried the problem is bigger than what anyone is anticipating.

“It seems to me that it’s gone under the radar for quite a long period of time. I think the use of this particular substance though has spiked. Certainly the evidence of the empty canisters turning up at this company would be evidence of that.”

“There are huge side effects, quite dangerous to people’s health for the use of this product. So it is quite concerning.”

He said with evidence that nangs have contributed to fatalities on the roads, it is clear the gas is already affecting whanau.

“There is impacts already that can evidence people have been seriously hurt, the nervous system’s damaged, people have been blacking out for 30 minutes or longer,”

“While it might be a short-term, 30-second hit for a young person, what we need to do really quite clearly and quickly is to inform our community that these products are out there and at the moment they’re readily available through retail outlets with very little law to protect our young people from the danger that they present.”

A meeting with community leaders was held two weeks ago to discuss the issue.

Whyte said leaders landed on a two-step approach to addressing their concerns.

“One is educating and informing our community of the danger of this particular product. The second one is to try and get our retailers together that are offering this product to see if there’s a willingness for them to not supply it.”

“That would be the best outcome that we could achieve.”

He said they also want politicians to look at the law around selling nitrous oxide, banning it from dairies and vape stores, and making it available only from licensed premises that deal in catering.

“I think that would be the logical next step, but it’s a longer-term project.”

“There’s no reason for them to be in a dairy.”

Whyte said their number one priority is to spread awareness within the community, something that he said he has already seen rising.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/09/concerns-about-increased-nangs-use-in-hawkes-bay-being-aimed-at-young-people/

February 9, 2026

New Whakatipu View trail officially opens at Coronet Peak

Source: Coronet Peak

Queenstown’s easiest downhill mountain bike trail, Whakatipu View, has officially opened at Coronet Peak.

The highly anticipated 5km-long, Grade 2 trail, opened with a special community celebration on Saturday (February 7) that involved long-time Coronet Peak team member and former top Kiwi rider Erin Greene being the first to ride the trail.

Whakatipu View is designed as Coronet Peak’s most accessible trail to date. Built to a true Grade 2 standard, it offers a new gateway to gravity mountain biking for beginners, families and riders who want a gentle, confidence‑building introduction to downhill terrain. The trail features an overall grade of 8%, smooth bermed corners, rolling turns and expansive views across the Whakatipu basin.

Coronet Peak ski area manager Nigel Kerr says the opening marks a major milestone in the ski area’s long‑term vision for summer recreation. Greene, who has worked at Coronet Peak for 25 years, and Kerr, have both played pivotal roles in the development of mountain biking on the mountain for more than 10 years.

“Whakatipu View is exactly the kind of trail our community has been asking for,” Kerr explains. “Downhill mountain biking can feel intimidating, and having a genuine Grade 2 top‑to‑bottom option opens the sport to many more people. It’s the perfect step between the district’s river trails and riding in the alpine environment.”

Whakatipu View is one of the first projects to be delivered under Coronet Peak’s Department of Conservation‑approved Mountain Biking Masterplan, signed off in 2024. The masterplan enables the development of up to 15 trails of varying grades within the ski area, as well as two that will eventually extend toward the valley floor. There are currently four trails in operation for MTB over the summer months.

The trail was built by Queenstown-based company Dirt Design, led by Kepler Rek, whose team navigated a complex alpine work environment including spring snow and sensitive ecological areas. “Every metre of trail was shaped with a focus on minimising environmental impact and maintaining respect for the maunga,” Kerr adds.

More trails are in development and will continue to expand the trial network. Work on the extreme Grade 6 World Cup trail begins this month, with an expected opening at the start of next summer in December 2026. The easy Grade 3 Velvet Rolls trail will follow, scheduled as a project for next summer.

Coronet Peak’s mountain bike park opened for the 2025–26 season on December 6, 2025, and will operate until March 22, 2026. Riders access the trails via the Coronet Express chairlift, with bike carriers fitted for summer operations. For more information, visit www.coronetpeak.co.nz/summer/mountain-biking/ .

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/02/09/new-whakatipu-view-trail-officially-opens-at-coronet-peak/

January 22, 2026

Mautohe Cathedral Cove closed due to rain, weather warnings

Source: NZ Department of Conservation

Date: 21 January 2026

MetService has issued a Red Heavy Rain Warning for Coromandel in response to the weather system moving down the northern half of the North Island, and is expected to dump up to 290 mm of rain on the peninsula today alone. The MetService’s rain warning is paired with a strong wind watch due to possible gales in exposed places.

DOC Coromandel Operations Manager Nick Kelly says it’s prudent to close tracks to Mautohe Cathedral Cove given the weather system’s impact – which now includes flooding across some parts of the district and its roading network.

“DOC’s priority for this site continues to be the safety of visitors and managing visitor risk. Poor weather exacerbates the landslide and rockfall risks at Mautohe Cathedral Cove.

“We strongly discourage people from visiting the cove while this weather system moves – the conditions make it unsafe.

“We do not want people getting hurt.”

Nick says the Mautohe Cathedral Cove closure is now in effect and will be in place until further notice. Decisions about whether it is safe to reopen tracks to the beach will be made once staff undertake site inspections and weather forecasts are assessed.

DOC will lift an alert on the Mautohe Cathedral Cove Track web page once it reopens.

Sea swells are expected to increase with the weather system and anyone planning to visit Mautohe Cathedral Cove by boat should check sea conditions first and consider the risks.

Mautohe Cathedral Cove is one of Coromandel and New Zealand’s most picturesque and iconic coastal locations, famous for its rock arch. However, land around the cove is known to be potentially unstable with a noted geological and landslide risk after heavy rain events.

DOC’s Trigger Action Response Plan for Mautohe Cathedral Cove guides decision-making for track closures at the site.

Contact

For media enquiries contact:

Email: media@doc.govt.nz

MIL OSI

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/01/21/mautohe-cathedral-cove-closed-due-to-rain-weather-warnings/

January 22, 2026

‘They’re hungry’: Shark warning to Kiwis after spate of Australian attacks

Source: Radio New Zealand

Riley ‘Sharkman’ Elliott swimming with a mako shark. Amber Jones

Beachgoers, swimmers and surfers are not immune to the risk of shark encounters when taking a dip in New Zealand waters, an expert says.

The advice comes amid high alert across the Tasman, following four shark attacks across New South Wales in less than 48 hours.

A 12-year-old boy was in intensive care, after sustaining critical injuries to both his legs in an attack near Shark Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Sunday.

Two attacks, both on Sydney’s northern beaches, then occurred in the space of a few hours on Monday.

A 27-year-old man was in a critical condition after suffering severe injuries to his legs at Manly’s North Steyne Beach. Earlier that day, an 11-year-old boy escaped injury, after a large bite was taken out of his surfboard at Dee Why.

A 39-year-old man also escaped serious injury in the latest shark attack at Point Plomer on the Mid North Coast on Tuesday.

The state government was working with Northern Beaches Council and Surf Life Saving NSW in response to the cluster of attacks.

Following a bout of bad weather, Australian experts said ocean conditions were ripe for shark activity, particularly bull sharks.

Marine biologist Professor Culum Brown of Macquarie University said sharks were drawn to freshwater flushes to feed on fish and dead animals, as they drifted down from rivers.

New Zealand shark scientist and conservationist Dr Riley ‘Shark Man’ Elliott has run a long-standing, tag-and-trace programme across the country.

Speaking to RNZ from a boat in Foveaux Strait, Elliott said the attacks were tragic, but also a reflection of growing population bases.

Sydney beach closed after shark attack. ABC News / Gavin Coote

“[Great white sharks] have been protected for several decades now and that should increase their numbers, but they do breed very slowly, so their numbers haven’t exploded,” he said.

“Human populations have grown dramatically and there’s more water recreation, more activities, more sports, more surf appliances. Innately, there’s more people in the water.”

Although shark attacks were not as common in New Zealand, compared to the warmer climes of Australia, other environmental factors heightened risk.

“Sharks don’t [hunt] people,” Elliott said. “Where they make mistakes is when they’ve been drawn into a food source, they’re hungry, the visibility’s poor and then people go in the mix.

“Urbanisation, sedimentation, agriculture, all these things… our harbours used to be crystal clear, now they’re muddy and gross.

“These animals are trying to hunt in that poor visual environment.”

New Zealand shark scientist and conservationist Dr Riley ‘Shark Man’ Elliott. Supplied

Elliott recommended avoiding swimming in periods following heavy rainfall, in river mouths, during dusk and dawn hours, and around ocean carcasses.

The conservationist had spotted three Australian-tagged great white sharks during his Fiordland expedition.

“Equally, some of the sharks I’ve tagged down here have gone to Australia, so they move very big distances,” he said.

A diver was flown to hospital, after being bitten by a shark – presumed to be a great white – at Dusky Sound in Fiordland National Park last April.

Shark sightings have also been reported in Auckland, Christchurch and Whangārei in recent weeks.

Elliott said shark attacks were tragic reminders that the ocean wasn’t a playground.

“If we want to co-exist in nature, we need to understand it, we need to respect it, we need to take care of it.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/01/21/theyre-hungry-shark-warning-to-kiwis-after-spate-of-australian-attacks-2/

January 22, 2026

Racist threats made to Asian communities accused of stripping rockpools

Source: Radio New Zealand

People harvesting sea life at Army Bay. Protect Whangaparoa Rockpools

Calls for Asians to be deported and threats of physical violence are among some of the latest social media comments aimed at people accused of stripping rockpools and breaching fishing rules.

On Saturday, at least a hundred people demonstrated at Army Bay in Auckland’s Whangaparāoa for the protection of local rock pools, and residents earlier told RNZ that rockpools were being stripped bare of sea life – including shellfish, or any animal life that lives in the pools.

The term “bucket people” has been widely used on social media to refer to those accused of over-harvesting, and many have anecdotally pointed to tourism buses and visitors, blaming them for the depletion of the rockpools.

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) said Whangaparāoa has a recreational fishing compliance rate of 93 percent between November 1, 2025, and January 5, with 14 non-compliance incidents across 189 inspections conducted in the period – four involved excessive taking of shellfish (cockles), seven were for undersized snapper, two involved illegal netsetting, and non involved tour buses.

Over the past week, more posts on the controversy have appeared on Facebook pages, targeting the Asian community – including one person who wrote they were prepared to give a few “knuckle burgers and black eye rings” to those breaking the rules; there have also been several posts calling for the gatherers to be deported.

Meanwhile, there have also been posts by rockpools protection advocates calling out the racist comments and urging people to focus on the environmental cause.

On Monday, fisheries minister Shane Jones pointed to what he called “unfettered immigration” when interviewed on the topic, and said he’s seeking urgent advice from fisheries on the issues.

Asian New Zealanders nervous about racial tensions arising from rockpools issues

A Chinese New Zealander living near Whangaparāoa said he doesn’t personally collect shellfish, but is worried about the rising tensions over the issue.

The man, who did not want to be named, said he’s now nervous about taking his kids to the beach.

“Eventually we’ll get targeted, like if we go to the beach, even if we don’t bring the bucket, and we just relax on the beach, and people may come up and say something hurtful to me,

“My kids are going to grow up here in New Zealand, they’re going to contribute to society, what are they going to feel like? They’re going to be like ‘I’m surrounded by people who hate us only because of our looks’”, he said.

The man said he’s seen videos posted to social media by people filming the contents of people’s buckets, and urging people to throw things back into the ocean.

He said he feels it violates people’s private space and that the residents doing the patrolling shouldn’t be behaving like law enforcement.

He said Asian communities are left with the blame when the government has failed to revise the limits on gathering shellfish.

A Wellington woman, who posted a photo of her Chinese husband holding a bucket of mussels on Facebook earlier this month, was shocked to see dozens of racist comments under the post.

The woman said the photo came from a family outing to the beach with her in-laws and kids, and the mussels collected came under the limit for seven people.

She said the post explained their awareness of gathering limits, but that didn’t stop the abuse.

“It’s just like, ‘These Chinese people bring their family and hoard everything from New Zealand, they don’t know the rules, they should be deported’, those kinds of things,” she said, noting that about one of five of the over 260 comments were hurtful.

The woman said her family hasn’t been to the beach since the online abuse.

Rockpools protection advocate: no place for racism

Rockpools protection advocate Mark Lenton, who leads the “Protect Whangaparāoa Rockpools” group, said racism is not helpful to the cause and will not be tolerated on their Facebook page.

“There’s no place for this uneducated bigotry, which only amplifies a lack of intelligence, and it’s not a good look for the author,

“So look, we do not encourage it in any way, and any comments raised and deleted, and the author is banned,” he said.

Lenton said such comments are the quickest thing that will undermine their credibility as a group.

He said he’s been talking to gatherers at Army Bay and makes the point that even when people gather within the limits, the sheer volume of gatherers is causing problems for the marine ecology.

“We’re really focused on an attitude change here, we’re really trying to amplify conservation,” he added.

Lenton said he estimates that on any given day at low tide during the weekends, there may be 100 to 300 gatherers on the beach.

Researcher of Asians in Aotearoa: “bucket people” trope dehumanizing

Auckland based writer and researcher of Asian diasporas, Tze Ming Mok, said she’s concerned that certain ministers in government may be more interested in whipping up division against a small minority than they are in constructively addressing the issue.

Mok said the term “bucket people” is creepy and is yet another racial slur being created, which dehumanises communities.

“The stereotype of the rapacious Asian stripping the coastlines is a trope and a stereotype that has been wielded against us since at least the early 90s, and the thing is that we have approached this issue in good faith, constructive ways before,

“By building relationships between new migrants, government, iwi and local communities so we can all learn and educate each other, and protect our ecosystems together,” she said.

Meanwhile, Lenton said he didn’t think the term “bucket people” was discriminatory.

“The term bucket people does not discriminate by age, by gender, nor by race,

“It is simply a collective term that accurately describes people who rape and pillage rock pools and coastal sea life to fill their buckets,” he said.

Auckland-based university student of Chinese descent One Wang, who has an interest in researching the relationship between tauiwi and Te Tiriti o Waitangi, said the labelling and online bullying around the rockpools issues have diverted attention away from the environmental issue itself.

“At this point our focus should be on the whenua, on papatūānuku, and on moana, what people could help with is make information and education accessible to all people who interact with marine life, so they can do that responsibly,” said Wang.

Wang said it’s been devastating to see the environmental impacts on moana, but equally devastating to see how quickly blame has been directed at an entire ethnic group.

Ngati Manuhiri, whose rohe extends from Mangawhai to the Okura river mouth south of Whangaparāoa, has applied for a two-year-ban on harvesting shellfish from the city’s Eastern Coastline.

The minister is expected to make a decision next month.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

LiveNews: https://livenews.co.nz/2026/01/21/racist-threats-made-to-asian-communities-accused-of-stripping-rockpools-2/

January 22, 2026

Racist threats made to Asian communities accused of stripping Whangaparāoa rockpools