The national Seaweek “Ocean Champions” Challenge requires entrants to undertake a specific action to help solve a problem in the marine environment. There are two award categories – Junior (under 16) and senior.

Enter the ‘Ocean Champion Challenge’ using our online form and tell us your creative ideas for improving our marine environment.

Junior entrants will describe their challenge in the entry form and share their challenge with the local community in some way; maybe a physical town noticeboard, on their school blog or a Facebook page. Entries will all go into a prize draw for a selection of fantastic spot prizes.

Senior entrants will also outline their challenge in the entry form and share their challenge publicly. We would love to see engagement with the community surrounding the senior entrants challenge, so share your website or blog with us and social media handles by tagging us (@nzaeeseaweek). Voting will take place online during February to choose the winner, who will receive a prize package equivalent to at least $500 from the  New Zealand Coastal Society in support of their work.

Nominees will all be featured on the Seaweek website and social media channels and the winners will be announced at the Bill Ballantine Memorial Lecture on Thursday March 5th.

We would like to be able to celebrate the work of passionate ocean advocates and share their stories. We hope everyone finds it as inspiring as we do, because we can all be ocean champions if we rise to the challenge we set ourselves.

Seaweek 2020 is coordinated by the New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE) supported by Foundation North, Department of Conservation, Fisheries New Zealand, New Zealand Coastal Society, New Zealand Marine Studies Centre (Otago University), Environment Canterbury Regional Council, Greater Wellington Regional Council, The National Aquarium – Napier City Council, Kiwi North, Wild for Taranaki, New Zealand Coastal Society, Young Ocean Explorers, Experiencing Marine Reserves, Manukau Beautification Charitable Trust, Auckland Whale & Dolphin Safari, Outboard Boating Club, Canoe and Kayak, Fish4all, Harper Collins Publishers and many local sponsors.