ORA Reefs

Venture focus:

We actively partner with others in building new blue economy ventures that support advocacy efforts, develop the future workforce and accelerate change.

ORA Reefs impact

ORA Reefs is actively restoring 1-2ha of marine habitat at two distinct sites in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. Our long-term goal is to regenerate 1000ha.

Our focus is improving the biodiversity of impacted rocky reefs and soft bottom marine environments through supporting community-initiated kina removal, reseeding kelp, reintroducing crayfish, and investigating artificial reefs seeded with kelp, mussels and oysters to provide structure for marine life.

ORA Reefs is also exploring innovative finance mechanisms such as a Blue Nature Credit which seeks to enable further investment into restoration at scale in the Hauraki Gulf.

2ha

Kina barren cleared

1000ha

Goal restoration

Partnerships so far

$1.5m

Funding mobilised

20ha

Drone mapping completed to date

100%

Commitment to ocean regeneration

Marine nature credit

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Restoration of coastal ecosystems like kelp forests and shellfish beds is urgently needed, but scaling these efforts requires a reliable funding approach. By developing a finance tool - a nature 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.

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The core focuses

Reef restoration

We are actively restoring 1-2ha of marine habitat at two distinct sites by supporting community-initiated kina removal, reseeding kelp, reintroducing crayfish and monitoring biodiversity uplift.

Finance tools

ORA Reefs is exploring innovative finance mechanisms such as a Blue Nature Credit which seeks to enable investment into restoration in the Hauraki Gulf.

Artificial reefs

Regenerating benthic habitats and marine life by deploying modular reef platforms seeded with bivalves to provide structure that supports longterm ecological recovery.

MRV framework

Monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) underpins our ability to validate restoration of reef sites. ORA Reefs combines ground truthing with divers, use of drones, satellite imagery and ROVs for spatial monitoring.

Our approach

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Restoration of coastal ecosystems like kelp forests and shellfish beds is urgently needed, but scaling these efforts requires a reliable funding approach. 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.

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Since early 2025, ORA has been preparing two pilot sites to test how reef enhancement might result in measurable ecological uplift over time. Using tools such as drone, ROV and diver surveys for robust ecological monitoring we aim to:

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• Establish pre-restoration baselines for biodiversity and habitat condition;

• Monitor ecological changes following intervention;

• Trial approaches for how uplift could be credibly measured.

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Support our mission

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Without intervention, the issues facing Tīkapa Moana/The Hauraki Gulf will continue to worsen, impacting ecosystems and communities. ORA Reefs seeks collaboration with iwi partners, stakeholders, and the wider community to trial scalable regenerative solutions. We believe sustainable development and environmental conservation can coexist, benefiting businesses, communities, and ecosystems.

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Rebecca Barclay-Cameron, Blue Ventures Director

rebecca.barclay@envirostrat.co.nz

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Liam Hansard, Project Manager

liam.hansard@envirostrat.co.nz

+64 21 025 208 33

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