The developers of Waiheke’s Kennedy Point Marina have welcomed a penguin expert’s recommendations following an independent review of the project’s approved plans.

A seabird ecologist, Dr Leigh Bull is an authority on the penguins and has significant experience in managing construction activities near penguin burrows. She found that while the project’s plans relating to the monitoring and management of the little blue penguins during construction addressed its consent conditions, the plans could be improved.

Existing penguin monitoring and construction management plans were approved by Council, but following concerns from several local interest groups for the welfare of the penguins using the rock wall at Kennedy Point, Dr Bull was engaged to review the plans and identify if they could be strengthened.

“One of my key recommendations involves the preparation of a single Little Blue Penguin Monitoring & Construction Management Plan to sit alongside the broader Construction Management Plan. This will create valuable benchmarks to measure the health of this colony as well as provide meaningful data around penguin behaviour that will likely benefit other penguin sites around New Zealand.

“The marina developers have accepted all of the recommendations of my review which demonstrates their commitment to protecting the penguins at Kennedy Point, both during construction and beyond. Some of the recommendations, such as the installation of surveillance cameras to provide real-time video monitoring, have already been implemented.

“I am comfortable with general construction work taking place at the site. This includes the planned works involving the temporary removal of rocks below the tide line at the foot of the seawall. I will be on-site and will carry out a detailed inspection prior to any work taking place on the breakwater wall.”

Marina project director, Tony Mair says “our team cares about the penguins too and we are committed to ensuring that they are not only protected during construction but are looked after long-term. We will be guided by Dr Bull and her team as to how best to do this.”