Seaweek is an opportunity for all ages to discover the many ways that our lives are connected to the sea. Seaweek comprises a wide range of events, activities, opportunities, competitions and calls to action.
Seaweek is New Zealand’s annual national week about the sea. Coordinated nationally by Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre (MERC), it focuses on learning from the sea. The goal is to draw attention to the ecosystem which makes up 93% of Aotearoa New Zealand’s territory and covers 71% of the planet and highlight how important it is to all our lives, no matter how near or far we are from it!
The underlying theme to the 2024 celebration of our connection to the sea is Celebrating sea creatures of Aotearoa! The ocean is deeply ingrained in the culture of Aotearoa New Zealand, in both physical and spiritual ways. We have many reasons to celebrate our close relationship with the sea and the living things that live in it. From small planktonic species which support the ocean food web to our charismatic marine mammals, our marine environment is weird, wonderful and fragile. From the seashore to the deep sea, the ocean is filled with amazing diversity; beautiful sponges, interesting algae and strange-looking fish – the ocean has it all. Our lives are intrinsically connected to life in the sea – which is why spreading this message and celebrating our connectedness with the ocean is so important.
On the Seaweek website there are articles on fur seals ❘ kekeno and seahorses ❘ manaia.
Kekeno – Fur seal
A kekeno – New Zealand fur seal Arctocephalus forsteri sighted on the Taranaki coast.
From activities and presentations within schools, marine ecosystem field trips and engagements with citizen science to community beach cleans, kayaking and snorkelling – the hope is to inspire and enable kiwis to take time to connect with the sea.
To see what is happening in your region for Seaweek 2024 – check out the Seaweek What’s On pages. There are also events throughout the year.
For more information: www.seaweek.org.nz/
We have featured a few events:
- Sponge day at Otago Museum
- Marine biosecurity education webinar
You can follow them on their social media channels on Facebook and Instagram.
Related content
This very useful article lists a selection of unit plans and other teacher support materials for Seaweek that we have grouped under possible teaching topics.
The Hub has extensive marine related resources. Visit the topic Oceans and use the filters to find activities, activities and media for curriculum levels and strands.
Living World – The rocky shore lists Science Learning Hub resources for teachers related to the rocky shore in the Living World strand of the New Zealand Curriculum.
We also have two downloadable professional development webinars: Seaweek 2015 with a focus on the nature of science and teacher ideas and Seaweek 2016 with a focus on marine content and planning.
Explore the Sustainable Seas Challenge and their ecosystem-based management (EBM) system in this article and activity.
