The spread of exotic caulerpa would be devastating for the economy of the Bay of Islands. The Trustees are keen to encourage and support training opportunities for local residents to upskill and become certified in diving and other skills relevant to long term monitoring programmes. Training local residents to monitor the bays for any signs of exotic caulerpa outbreaks, and/or upskilling in marine biodiversity will increase the likelihood of any future outbreaks being identified and eradicated before they can spread and cause significant damage.
The Trust's Affiliate Schools and Organisations Programme is pivotal to linking suitable candidates to training programmes. The Trust wishes to ensure that local youth upskill to support kaitiakitanga in their own backyard.
