There will be Seaweek 2020 events happening in Otago and full details will be posted here as we receive them. Contact the Regional Coordinator: Frances Perez at francesperezhdz@gmail.com for info on how to get involved!
Otago Seaweek 2020 Events:
The following MM2 workshops are all free but you must register to attend. For enquiries and to sign up please contact Aless Smith: aless.smith@otago.ac.nz
Keep scrolling down to view all events.
Marine Metre Squared Teacher and Student Practical Session – Monday 24 February 3:30-5:30pm
Marine Metre Squared Teacher and Student Practical Session – Tuesday 25 February 10am-12pm
Marine Metre Squared Teacher and Student Practical Session – Wednesday 26 February 12pm-2pm
No-Butts Urban Clean Up – Saturday 29 February 10am
Beach cleanup at Warrington Beach – Saturday 29th February, 1 pm
Seaweek in Playspace – From Saturday 29th February to Sunday 8th March
Once upon a Sunday: “Ship Ahoy!” – Sunday 1 March
Special Seaweek Storytime – Wednesday 4 March
Leopards Seals: want to know more? – Wednesday 4 March
Special Seaweek Storytime – Friday 6 March
Shark Spy, Expert talk – Thursday 5 March
Coastal Community Clean Up + Yoga – Saturday 7 March from 9:30 – 12
Storytelling with Allie Simpson from Woven Stories: “That’s not your hat” – Saturday 7th March, 1pm
Public Marine Metre Squared – Sunday 8th of March, 9:00-11:00 am
Aramoana League Beach Clean Up Day – Sunday 8th March at 9.30am
What: Marine Metre Squared Teacher and Student Practical Session
Where: Balclutha (Location TBC)
When: Monday 24 February 3:30-5:30pm
Details: The NZ Marine Studies Centre will be hosting this workshop in the Clutha district. The aim is to demonstrate to teachers how to engage students in local environmental monitoring. To achieve this, three current coastal-focussed monitoring projects will be discussed; Marine Metre Squared, Sustainable Coastlines Litter Project and Shark Spy. Practical sessions will lead on from this workshop on the 25th and 26th, and students are encouraged to join as well! Check out this flyer: Clutha-Poster
What: Marine Metre Squared Teacher and Student Practical Session
Where: Kaka Point
When: Tuesday 25 February 10am-12pm
Details: This practical session leads on from the Teacher Workshop on the 24th of February. Please attend either this practical session or the practical session on the 26th of February. Students are encouraged to attend! Check out this flyer: Clutha-Poster1
What: Marine Metre Squared Teacher and Student Practical Session
Where: Pounawea Estuary
When: Wednesday 26 February 12pm-2pm
Details: This practical session leads on from the Teacher Workshop on the 24th of February. Please attend either this practical session or the practical session on the 25th of February. Students are encouraged to attend! Check out this flyer: Clutha-Poster2
Where: Otago Museum (meetup point)
When: Saturday 29 February
Details: For Sea Week 2020, Our Seas Our Future and Lets get Trashed have teamed up to clean up the streets of Dunedin, with a focus on cigarette butts. We’ll be collecting as many butts as we can, along with other trash, to address one of the most commonly littered items in New Zealand. This cleanup is part of a series of nationwide cleanups and the No Butts campaign which aims to highlight the negative environmental effects of cigarette butts and encourage responsible cigarette butt disposal.
We will meetup at the Otago Museum and then disperse from there to various parts of Dunedin, with the goal to collect as much trash possible. Bags and some gloves available. If you have a pair of old gardening gloves, please bring them along.
Timeline: 10 am – meetup by the Otago Museum Reserve, Cnr of Cumberland and Albany Streets. (Look for the white Our Seas Our Future flag)
11:30 am – meet back at the Our Seas Our Future flag to sort trash.
Website link to more information. Contact Duncan Campbell dunedin@osof.org
What: Beach cleanup at Warrington Beach
Where: Meeting at the northern end of Warrington Beach
When: Saturday 29th February, 1 pm
Details: Meeting at the northern end of the beach, keeping an eye out for the local sealion mum, then have a wee explore of the rock pools at low tide mid-afternoon. Everyone welcome to have a swim after.
A bit of service to nature, a bit of learning and exploring and a bit of fun! Bags will be provided, please bring your own gloves. Dress appropriately. Children under the age of 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian.
What: Once upon a Sunday: “Ship Ahoy!”
Where: Children’s Storypit, Ground Floor, City Library
When: Sunday 1 March
Details: Join professional storyteller Kaitrin McMullan as she spins some magical tales bound to delight children of all ages. Cost: Free Website link to more information. Contact: Dunedin Public Libraries for more info at library@dcc.govt.nz
View the PDF of the poster: Library Events – Story times
What: Special Seaweek Storytime
Where: Children’s Storypit, Ground Floor, City Library
When: Wednesday, 4 March
Details: Join us for stories and songs from under the sea! Afterwards, do a spot of colouring in and pick some books to take home from our special Seaweek collection. Free! Website link to more information. Contact: Dunedin Public Libraries at library@dcc.govt.nz for more info. View the PDF of the poster: Library Events – Story times
What: 
Leopard Seals: want to know more?
Where: Oamaru Public Library, 62 Thames Street, Oamaru 9400
When: Wednesday 4 March 6PM
Details: Otago University Masters student, Giverny Forbes, will give a talk about her study of the new locals of North Otago – the leopard seal- and tell us how to get along with them. Free event. Website link to more information.
Rob Lewis & Aless Smith will be at the Oamaru Library at 6pm on Monday 10 February 2020 to introduce the science project “Shark Spy”.
What: Special Seaweek Storytime
Where: Children’s Storypit, Ground Floor, City Library
When: Friday 6 March
Details: Join us for stories and songs from under the sea! Afterwards, do a spot of colouring in and pick some books to take home from our special Seaweek collection. Free! Website link to more information. Library Events Poster Story times Contact Dunedin Public Libraries: library@dcc.govt.nz
Where: Barclay Theatre, Otago Museum
Event Date: Thursday 5 March at 5:30 PM
Details: At least ten different species of sharks are found in Otago coastal waters, but very little is known about their population sizes, or where they go, feed, mate, or have their young.
This Sea Week, Rob Lewis, of the University of Otago’s New Zealand Marine Studies Centre, discusses the biology, ecology, conservation, and importance of these enigmatic creatures.
A better understanding of the diversity, abundance, and structure of local shark populations will be key to understanding the health of Otago’s local coastal ecosystems in a time of changing climate and oceans.
Hear about findings and feedback from the Otago’s very own Shark Spy project. This local citizen science project collects sightings and information about sharks regionally and nationally. Find out how you can become a shark reporter-cum-scientist! Website link to more information: Contact: Rachel Cooper – rachel.cooper@otagomuseum.nz
What: Coastal Community Clean Up + Yoga
Where: Free yoga lesson on St Kilda beach (just in front of the surf lifesaving club)
When: Saturday 7 March 9:30 am – 12 pm
Details: Keep Dunedin Beautiful and Our Seas Our Future have teamed up to celebrate the sea and our amazing local coastal environment with a community clean up. We’ll start the day off with free yoga lesson on St Kilda beach (just in front of the surf lifesaving club), before heading out for a walk to pick up rubbish in the area.
A BBQ and refreshments will be available for volunteers.
9.30 am – Free Intro Yoga lesson on St Kilda beach. BYO towel or mat. Please be ready for lesson by 9.30 am.
10.30 am – Registration and bag collection for clean up at the Keep Dunedin Beautiful flag at the Dinosaur Park.
12 pm – Bring the rubbish you’ve collected back to the Dinosaur Park for sorting, and relax with a bbq and refreshments.
For health and safety reasons please wear sturdy footwear when collecting rubbish. If it’s a beautiful sunny day, don’t forget your sun hat and drink bottle – sunscreen will be available at the registration point. Children under the age of 16 must be supervised by a parent or guardian.
Website link to more information. Printable Poster PDF. If you have any questions, or would like to host a Sea Week event in your area, contact our Keep Dunedin Beautiful coordinator at keepdunedinbeautiful@dcc.govt.nz or 477 4000
Dunedin City Library
What: Public Marine Metre Squared
Where: Tomahawk Beach, meeting at Ocean Grove Sports Carpark
1 Domain Avenue, Ocean Grove, Dunedin 9013
When: Sunday 8th of March, 9:00-11:00 am
Details: Come and celebrate Seaweek 2020 by finding out more about your seashore! Be a citizen scientist and engage with the monitoring of the Otago Coast.
View Poster here: Tomahawk Seaweek Poster
For further enquires email aless.smith@otago.ac.nz
What: Aramoana League Beach Clean Up Day 
Where: Aramoana, Dunedin, Otago
When: Sunday 8th March at 9.30am
Details: Those interested in the beach clean up should meet at the Aramoana Hall, Moana St, Aramoana at 9.30am on Sunday 8th March 2020. Please bring your own bag to collect rubbish & wear gumboots. Find more info on their facebook page or email Vicki at aramoanaleague@xtra.co.nz
