Seafood festival the place to celebrate all things fishy

New Zealanders love fish. Tarakihi, snapper, gurnard ... But did you know there are more than 100 fish species in New Zealand's waters?

The inaugural Auckland Seafood Festival kicks off this morning and aims to teach Aucklanders about the wealth of delicacies in our waters.

Coinciding with the beginning of the new fishing year, the two-day festival will celebrate all aspects of the local seafood industry, which contributes $1.3 billion annually to the New Zealand economy.

Event director Kathy Cunningham said the festival was a chance to "tell people about the abundance of fish in our sea and teach them how to prepare it". She said experts from around the country would be on hand to show visitors how to shuck oysters and scallops, and how to fillet fresh fish.

The festival opens at 10am today with a blessing of the fleet, which will feature more than 30 boats, including fishing boats, naval vessels, the Coastguard and Ports of Auckland tug boats.

Ms Cunningham said the blessing would be a first for Auckland and would include the unusual spectacle of "dancing tug boats".

From 11am, visitors can enjoy the festival's Free Family Fun area, which will host an assortment of street entertainers and cultural groups. There will also be a special appearance by popular seafolk SpongeBob SquarePants and his best friend Patrick.

For those looking for more mature entertainment, $20 will get you into the Jellicoe Street Party, with entertainment by Ladi6, Nesian Mystik and One Million Dollars.

There will also be a VIP lounge offering corporate hospitality and demonstrations by top local chefs.

All money raised from the event will go to the Coastguard and other marine-based charities, including the families of men lost at sea.