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Auckland Shell Club |
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Auckland Shell Club |
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Best wishes for 2012!
Leigh Marine Laboratory Visitor Centre, Saturday 11/Feb/2012
NB. this trip is before the February meeting and is on a Saturday.
Bring the family and friends, meet at Goat Island Bay on the beach at 11:30am for your own picnic lunch around midday. No parking at beach level.
1pm visit to Leigh Visitor Centre, an easy path up the hill from the beach. The centre manager, Rebecca, will show us around and explain the research being done by students. Auckland Shell Club will pay the entry fee of $10 for all members.
About 3pm, optional extras (depending on the weather) are ...
. observe/photograph marine life on Echinoderm Reef at Goat Island.
. snorkel with big snapper and crayfish.
. go for a cruise in the glass-bottomed boat at Goat Island.
. hire a kayak.
Remember this is a marine reserve - NO COLLECTING. Mathesons Bay (not a marine reserve) is an option for the low tide at 4:50pm.
FYI. Jan Scott donated part of her late husband (Ian Scott) shell collection to the Marine Centre.
Tony and Jenny Enderby have invited everyone to an evening BBQ at their place overlooking Leigh Harbour.
Their address is 19 Albert St, Leigh. From Auckland turn left in Leigh township (IE. the Goat Island road), then 2nd left into Albert St. Number 19 is up the hill on the left.
All welcome from 6pm, but please bring your own drink, meat, salad etc.
Contact Margaret Morley for more information on (09) 576 8323 or mmorley@aucklandmuseum.com.
No cancellation.
December Meeting / A.G.M.
Heather welcomed everyone to the meeting and presented the President's report for 2011.
Committee members were thanked for their contributions, especially newsletter editor and web site administrator Peter Poortman, secretary Doug Snook, treasurer Luen Jones and auditor Derek Lamb. A special thank you to Peter Poortman and Patricia Langford for their work producing Poirieria.
Our treasurer Luen Jones reported that the Club was in a healthy financial state, and Club subscriptions will once again remain unchanged.
Elections and confirmation of officers for 2012 were completed as follows ...
| Patron: | Prof. Jack Grant-Mackie |
| Vice Patron: | Margaret Morley |
| President: | Heather Smith |
| Immediate Past President: | Martin Walker |
| Vice President: | Doug Snook |
| Secretary: | Michael Barlow |
| Newsletter: | Peter Poortman |
| Treasurer & Membership: | Michael Barlow |
| Website: | Peter Poortman |
| Poirieria Editors: | Patricia Langford, Peter Poortman |
| Librarian: | Luen Jones |
| Archivist: | Betty Headford |
| Committee: | Lyn Gumm, Nick Britton, Earl Simpson |
On completion of the formalities, Dr. Tom Trnski (Research Manager and Curator Marine Biology at Auckland Museum) gave us a fascinating presentation about the recent biodiscovery expedition he led to the Kermadec Islands.
The Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve is New Zealand’s largest marine reserve, covering 7450 square kilometres. Due to its remoteness it is a relatively untouched and relatively unexplored environment.
After 3 years of planning, the 21 day expedition left Tauranga on the research vessel RV Braveheart on May 9 2011. It was the largest scientific expedition ever to explore the inshore coastal waters of the Kermadecs. The 20-strong team included scientists from Auckland Museum, Te Papa, DoC, and NIWA, as well as an underwater photographer, scientific communicator/journalist, and a film-maker.
The main goals of the project were to ...
. Document the marine biodiversity of the Kermadec Islands. The focus was on marine plants and animals within 200m of the surface, and on species occuring to 1,000m.
. Discover and document new marine species and new records of marine species not recorded previously in New Zealand.
. Determine the connectivity of the marine fauna of the Kermadecs and adjacent South Pacific islands. IE. determine the source of the closest relatives of the Kermadec populations.
. Provide a baseline record of species diversity against which to monitor changes over time. This will be an important reference survey to track changes in species composition that may result from global warming effects on regional water temperatures and currents.
Tom said that the expedition was a resounding success and had gone without a hitch.
The collected specimens were distributed between the Auckland Museum, Te Papa, and the Australian Museum, and the expedition results will be published in various journals and magazines some time in 2012.
Meeting attendees viewed many stunning pictures of the regions flora and fauna.
More information about this remarkable expedition can be found at http://kermadec.aucklandmuseum.com.
The evening concluded with our traditional Christmas supper.
Next Meeting
Epsom Community Centre, 202 Gillies Avenue, Epsom at 7:30pm on Tuesday 14th of February (doors open at 7pm)
Attendees please bring in some shells to talk about. Eg. shells from your favourite or local beach, or shells from your favourite country, or favourite shell family, or even just a favourite shell.
Members can also bring along any shells etc that you would like to sell, or shells that you would like identified.
Committee members, we will have a short committee meeting before our Shell Club meeting in March, at 6:30pm.
Subscriptions
These are now due - enclosed is your invoice for 2012.
Contact our Treasurer Michael Barlow on (09) 623 3231 if you have any queries.
Club Library
We have an extensive collection of books, magazines, and scientific publications available, as well as a biological microscope.
Other Club News
. Bert van Tiggele is keen to know more about Anadara trapezia as it seems these shells are washing ashore more frequently than before. Bert asks if anyone finding an Anadara trapezia could contact him at bavantiggele@hotmail.com. He is keen to know where they washed ashore and their size and is interested to work out whether they are reintroduced or fossils.
. Kano Martin from Spain is interested in buying all kinds of shells from NZ. He can be contacted at trochidae@hotmail.com.
. Items of interest for the monthly newsletter are always welcome - email to petermwp@gmail.com, or post to 26 Pendlebury Street, Green Bay, Auckland 0604.
