Ocean Regeneration Aotearoa (ORA) Reefs is an impact-focused initiative aiming to regenerate degraded marine ecosystems in Aotearoa New Zealand’s Hauraki Gulf. As part of our broader restoration strategy, ORA is looking into whether a nature credit system could offer a more sustainable and scalable way to support long-term marine recovery.
We are assessing whether a locally tailored nature credit could reflect the full ecological uplift delivered by reef restoration, and how it might align with Aotearoa values and international frameworks.
The development of what a blue nature credit can look like is a concept that both the New Zealand government and international efforts like the biodiversity alliance and working to develop principals and industry standards.
Why We’re Looking Into Nature Credits
Restoration of coastal ecosystems like kelp forests and shellfish beds is urgently needed, but scaling these efforts requires a reliable funding approach. Nature credits are one tool that could help. These credits could represent verified improvements in ecosystem health, for example:
• Increased species diversity and abundance;
• Restored habitat and reef structure;
• Improved water quality and ecosystem resilience.
The idea is similar to our currently used carbon credit scheme which values emission reductions, a more “nature credit” model in the marine space could reward positive ecological outcomes such as increased biodiversity, restored habitat area, and enhanced ecosystem services.
By quantifying the environmental benefits generated by ORA’s reef restoration (for example, the uplift in species diversity or kilograms of carbon sequestered in recovering kelp forests), credits can be issued and sold to organizations seeking to support conservation or meet sustainability goals. The revenue from credit buyers – whether corporates aiming for nature-positive impacts, government programs, or impact investors – would provide a sustainable funding stream to scale up ORA’s restoration work beyond the limited scope that donations alone can cover.
It creates a feedback loop: funding leads to reef recovery, which produces measurable ecosystem gains, which then back the credits that replenish funding. This innovative approach addresses a key challenge in marine conservation: how to finance large-scale restoration of “blue” ecosystems (like kelp forests and shellfish reefs) that historically have not benefited from market-based support.
By developing a credit for the Hauraki Gulf’s restored reefs, ORA aims to unlock capital for continual regeneration of the Gulf, ensuring projects can be maintained and expanded over decades. It also aligns with the emerging trend of “blue finance,” where financial tools are tailored to ocean conservation outcomes.
A well-designed nature credit system could:
• Support transparent measurement of ecological improvements;
• Attract investment from philanthropic and nature-aligned funders;
• Offer a long-term funding model for marine regeneration.
Globally, nature credits are being tested in different environments. In ORA’s case, we’re investigating whether a Hauraki Gulf credit could bring together multiple benefits—such as biodiversity gains, water filtration, and potential carbon contributions—into one credible, measurable unit.
