Monitoring estuaries
About 100 estuaries around New Zealand are monitored regularly to check their health – by councils, government agencies, iwi, community groups and people like you. This interactive map lets you explore the information collected on habitats, birds, fish and shellfish.

Detailed results from regional and unitary council monitoring for sedimentation, high nutrients, chemical contamination, and estuary macrofauna can be found on the Land Air Water Aotearoa website. Also on this site are data for freshwater and coastal water quality from around New Zealand.

Microbiological contamination is also monitored in many places to find out if the estuary is safe for swimming and other recreational activities, and for gathering fish and shellfish.

You can also get involved with a range of projects at the places of interest to you. 

You can also view our Restoring estuaries map and Experiencing estuaries map.