Rocky shore hits TV screen

Tara Churchwell (left), Jake Brookie and Luke Pell, the team responsible for the Hardinge Rd rocky shore programme screening on Television Hawke's Bay on Friday.

This Friday a "marine gem" of Hawke's Bay gets its moment in the spotlight, thanks to National Aquarium of New Zealand educator Jake Brookie.

Hardinge Road's rocky shore is profiled in a special programme screening on Television Hawke's Bay (TVHB) at 6pm this Friday The timing couldn't be better, as it's Seaweek until this Sunday. Jake has been part of the Seaweek planning team for several years and wanted to try something a little different to publicise this annual event.

"While there have been many TV series with a New Zealand focus, there really hasn't been anything which Hawke's Bay residents could go and see for themselves, without having to travel outside the region," he said.

Jake, along with co-presenter and Aquarium aquarist/keeper Tara Churchwell present the programme, about the environmental challenges rocky shore dwellers face, with an underlying conservation message. The footage was shot and edited by Luke Pell, who works at MTG Hawke's Bay but worked on this job in a private capacity.

The aquarium also runs rocky shore visits for schools, so this ties in nicely with their work, Jake said.

Other episodes, still in the planning stages, include a look at ocean pollution, the Ahuriri estuary and environmental monitoring in the Bay.

The aquarium is an official supporter of Seaweek, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. Seaweek 2016 began last Saturday and runs until this Sunday. This year's theme is "Toiora te Moana - Toiora te Tangata: Healthy Seas, Healthy People". Local events include the Seaweek Poetry reading night, Gannet Beach Adventures Beach Clean Up on Saturday, and Children's Day at the Aquarium on Sunday. It also leads into the Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans Festival in Napier from March 11-21.

- TV Hawke's Bay is free to air on Channel 48 for Freeview and Igloo users.