Nelson Haven/Paruparuroa is a relatively large (~1250ha), shallow, well-flushed, seawater-dominated, tidal lagoon estuary located at the southern end of Tasman Bay. The estuary is elongate without side arms and has a simple (relatively straight) shoreline with few embayments. The seaward margin is enclosed within an 8.75km long x 50-100m wide boulder and cobble tombolo, referred to as the Nelson Boulder Bank which protects the estuary from the more exposed Tasman Bay. Large sections of the land/sea interface have been hardened by seawalls, drainage channels and infrastructure (port, roading, housing).
The estuary is valued for its aesthetic appeal, cultural value, sheltered port, biodiversity, shellfish collection, whitebaiting, fishing, swimming, kayaking, walking, boating, and scientific interest. The estuary is recognised as a valuable nursery area for marine and freshwater fish, an extensive shellfish resource, and is very important for birdlife. Community wetland restorations initiatives are underway in the northern part of the estuary.
In 2019, intertidal substrates were dominated by sandy sediments (456ha, 52%) with a relatively low mud content (e.g.<15%), located mostly in the lower and middle estuary. The upper estuary was dominated by firm and soft muds (328ha, 38% of the intertidal area), often with a very high mud content (>90%). The mud extent is relatively high in both a regional and a national context. Intertidal salt marsh 6.7ha (0.6%) is relatively scarce, while seagrass remains a prominent feature (136ha, 15% of the intertidal area). There have been significant losses of this high value habitat over time, in particular salt marsh (99%) and seagrass (50%).
The main pressures identified are elevated muddiness from catchment runoff, and shoreline hardening limiting the estuary's capacity to migrate in response to sea level rise.
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See results from monitored river quality sites influencing this estuary
See land cover information from monitored catchments that surround this estuary
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