A message from our Kaihautū/Programme Director, Katina Conomos:
2025 has been a year of confidence and momentum for Revive Our Gulf, and there is a real sense of excitement about where we are heading.
After several years of growth and evolution, we now feel well-positioned for what comes next, with strong partnerships with Tangata Whenua, growing operational capability, and clear momentum as we look toward 2026.
This year, the marine restoration landscape shifted in meaningful ways. The passage of new marine protection legislation for the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana / Te Moananui ā Toi has created renewed momentum across our sector and reinforced the importance of pairing active restoration with enduring protection. It is encouraging to see decades of advocacy translate into tangible gains, particularly in a space where achieving marine protection is complex, contested, and hard-won.
Within Revive Our Gulf, I’m particularly proud of how our operational capability has matured. Our team has grown, our monitoring of kūtai deployments has strengthened significantly, our ROV programme has continued to develop, we’ve spent more time on the water than ever before, and we have deepened the learning that underpins effective restoration.
Just as importantly, this learning is increasingly shaped through partnership, shared observation, and doing the mahi together. Being co-located at the Newmarket Innovation Precinct within Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland has also made a real difference. It has supported a strong team culture and enabled closer collaboration.
None of this work would be possible without the dedication of our Trustees, our kaimahi, the University of Auckland, and the leadership, generosity, and commitment of our Tangata Whenua partners – Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei, Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, and Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki – as well as the trust and support of our funding community.
He mihi ki a koutou katoa mō tō koutou manaaki, tō koutou māia, me tō koutou ū ki tēnei kaupapa. Nā tō koutou tautoko, ka anga whakamua mātou me te ngākau tūmanako.
Thanks to your support, we end the year in a strong position, with a deep sense of optimism as we look ahead to 2026, working within a system increasingly aligned around regeneration.
Mauri ora!