02/11/2012 - A trip to the Kermadecs by nine artists on the HMNZS Otago has spawned a touring art exhibition which underpins efforts to protect the region.
Their journey was initiated by the Washington-based charitable trust Pew Environment Group's Global Ocean Legacy as part of a drive to raise public awareness of the pristine 620,000sq km Kermadec marine reserve. The reserve, which falls within New Zealand's exclusive economic zone, is home to a wild underwater geography and a vast range of marine species, many still unknown; just last week a "super-giant" prawn was discovered by a Scottish science team.
The aim of Pew and its supporters is to encourage our Government to protect the region for all time as the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary, entirely free from fishing and mineral exploration, making it the biggest marine reserve in the world.
Read the full article, Pristine Ocean Needs to Become Sanctuary, on the New Zealand Herald's Web site.