Please be aware that the dumping of fish frames and shellfish is NOT allowed under Northland Regional Council Rules. When dumped “in the intertidal area or on land nearby, including beaches, the waste can pose a potential risk to other beach users.” Not only is there a health risk – it can be particularly nasty if you stand on a broken kina shell in bare feet – dumping waste can also affect water quality, attract scavenging stingrays and sharks. So please, we ask that you take your fish frames home and bury or compost them. Even better, if you only want to eat the fillets, consider donating the remains to others who love to eat fish heads and frames. To find out more and to download an app that puts those wanting to dispose of fish frames and heads together with those who want them, go to https://www.freefishheads.co.nz

Please refrain from feeding the seagulls, particularly in the Pohutukawa Reserve. Feeding the birds may endanger their long-term survival by overexposing them to humans for access to food sources. A diet of bread, fries and ice-cream does not have the same nutritional value as their natural food such as fish and insects. It also encourages the seagulls to mass in public places with an increased risk of contamination of water supplies for those dependent on tank water nearby.