Connecting with Allies at Māui Dolphin Day 2026
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
The recent Māui Dolphin Day 2026 at Whaingaroa Raglan, was an important opportunity to connect key groups and engage with hundreds of people to enable stronger dolphin
protections and empower people to take action.
The event provided a valuable opportunity to speak directly with local residents, visitors, and fellow advocates about the urgent need to protect the critically endangered Māui dolphin and the closely related Hector's dolphin.
Gathering support to protect dolphin habitat
Throughout the day, people stopped by the Foundation’s stall to learn more about the threats facing these dolphins and to sign the petition calling for an end to bottom trawling in Hector’s dolphin habitat.
Bottom trawling can cause extensive damage to seafloor ecosystems, disturbing habitats that support fish, invertebrates, and other marine life that coastal species depend on. Gathering signatures for the petition helped amplify community support for stronger protections in these important habitats.
Sharing the Awhi Awa kete
Visitors also had the opportunity to explore the Awhi Awa kete, a resource developed to support coastal communities in restoring and protecting waterways and marine environments.
The kete outlines practical actions communities can take to strengthen ecosystems and support species like the Māui dolphin, including:
reducing sediment and pollution entering the ocean
how to keep dolphins safe when you’re on the water
advocating for stronger marine protections including a poster to promote our petition to stop bottom trawling.
Many people were encouraged to see that meaningful restoration can start locally, with communities working together to improve the health of rivers, estuaries, and coastal waters.
Alongside these conversations, the event programme brought the community together through performances, speakers, and activities - including music, circus acts from Circus Aotearoa, and the ever-popular recycled raft race.
Sharing ideas, experiences, and initiatives helps strengthen collaboration and build momentum for protecting dolphins and restoring marine ecosystems.
