EMR is based in eight regions throughout New Zealand below are coordinator profiles and contact emails addresses:

Check out our National report for 2020

Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust provides the umbrella organisation for the EMR programme in Auckland.

In the Auckland Region we have taken a total of 14,039 participants snorkelling in our school programmes, community presentations and events. Lorna Doogan is the Auckland regional coordinator This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. She is joined by Auckland Coordinator Sophie Journee This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and Assistant Coordinator Courtney Shaw This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Express your interest to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Gisborne region is home to the beautiful Te Tapuwae o Rongokako Marine Reserve (est. 1999)

Contact the regional EMR coordinator Amy-Rose Hardy This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Wellington Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) programme is provided by Mountains to Sea Wellington, offering Experiencing Marine Reserves, Whitebait Connection and Healthy Harbours.

 You can get in touch with the Wellington team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  The team have created a guardian project to restore kelp forests called Love Rimurimu check it out here

EMR Otago is a satellite EMR programme region. We offer events such as Community Guided Snorkel Days and school programmes when  funding and coordinator availability allows

We recently held a snorkel day at Aramoana 

We have formed a EMR club so that interested people find out when we will have events happening   - Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The Experiencing Marine Reserves programme concept came to life in Northland in 2001. "We wanted to capture the look on the students faces when they came face to face with a large snapper inside the marine reserve in a education programme" EMR was founded by Samara Nicholas and was first piloted in 2002. The Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust (MTSCT) was established in 2002, as a charitable umbrella and support organisation for the EMR and the Whitebait Connection (WBC), our freshwater sister education programme. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Hosted by The Friends of Te Whanganui a hei Marine reserve,. The Hauraki regional coordinator is Amber Boyd This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

EMR was first piloted in Taranaki with St Pius School in 2011. The local provider for EMR in this region is Nga Motu Marine Reserve Society; who work in collaboration with the Department of Conservation. EMR Taranaki had over 100 at their community guided snorkel day last summer

"EMR is unique. It draws publicity and creates the opportunities to highlight the marine environment through the media. Community groups enjoy helping out because their kids are involved and with parents included as a crucial part of EMR from the outset, many become marine advocates too." Mike Tapp, DOC Taranaki.

Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

EMR in Nelson is under the new local provider  of Tasman Bay Guardians  https://tasmanbayguardians.org.nz/experiencing-marine-reserves/

The regional coordinator contact person is Jude Heath This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

Riwaka School made  front page of the Guardian newspaper https://issuu.com/guardian-motueka/docs/8_june_2016

In 2014  the Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) was approached by Dr Mike Bossley, a renowned marine biologist and environmental advocate about adopting EMR as a successful community engagement tool in SA. In 2014, EMR's founder Samara Nicholas travelled to Adelaide to present the programme. SA's marine reserves are called marine sanctuaries, with permission we agreed  to provide the resources and safety management systems to base the programme on that the EMR programme in SA would be called 'Experiencing Marine Sanctuaries'