
A Celebration of Sustainability and Seafood
The Whitianga Oceans Festival, originally known as the Whitianga Scallop Festival, was created in 2005 to boost tourism and economic activity during Whitianga's quieter shoulder seasons. The festival, initially focused on the town’s rich scallop fishery, quickly became a major event, drawing thousands of visitors. Over time, it evolved to address environmental challenges, most notably the decline in scallop populations.
In 2021, local iwi Ngāti Hei placed a rāhui (ban) on scallop harvesting to protect the fishery, prompting a major shift for the event. In response, the festival rebranded as the Whitianga Oceans Festival, expanding its focus to a broader range of seafood, while retaining the scallop as a symbol to raise awareness of its endangered status.
Sustainability Initiatives
The festival's sustainability efforts focus on promoting sustainable fishing practices and reducing waste. All seafood served at the festival is sustainably sourced, including line-caught fish and spear-caught butterfish. Local mussels, oysters, and kina are featured to minimize environmental impact. LegaSea, a marine conservation group, played a key role in these efforts, running fish filleting demonstrations and ensuring no part of the fish was wasted. They donated fish heads and frames to iwi communities and raised $10,000 through a partnership with Koparepare Wine.
The festival has strict policies on waste management, including recycling initiatives and prohibiting single-use plastics. All aluminum cans are crushed on site in the ‘taniwha’ trailer and then donated to the ‘cans for kai’ project. Volunteers, known as “Waste Warriors,” ensure proper waste sorting throughout the event.
The festival’s sustainability values are integrated into every aspect of its operations, from sourcing seafood to waste management. Stallholders are required to adhere to sustainable practices, ensuring that the event reflects a commitment to environmental stewardship.
Challenges and Innovation
The transition from scallops to sustainable seafood was met with uncertainty. Sourcing line-caught fish at a reasonable cost was a logistical challenge. However, the festival's commitment to sustainability prevailed, and the event was able to offer a variety of local, sustainably sourced seafood options.
Cultural and Community Impact
The shift to a broader seafood festival allowed the event to stay true to its roots while reflecting evolving values around environmental conservation. The festival continues to bring significant economic benefits to the Whitianga community and wider Hauraki Coromandel region.
Evidence of Success
Despite concerns about moving away from its scallop-centric identity, the festival continues to thrive, attracting a large audience, of whom the majority come from outside the region. The success of the event demonstrates the community’s dedication to sustainability and innovation, as well as the festival’s ability to evolve while maintaining its economic and cultural significance for Whitianga.
***2024 NZ Event Awards winner for Best Sustainability Initiative***
Check out next year's event details