Enrique Haag

I was born in Germany and moved to the southern part of Chile at the age of three. With both parents working as scientists and owners of an underwater ROV (remotely operated vehicle) manufacturing company, I was surrounded by equipment since I was a child and participated in all kinds of marine operations. I have sailed on the fjords of Southern Chile for almost ten years and recently participated in several marine wildlife filmmaking expeditions. In those, I was responsible for driving zodiacs alongside marine mammals and in many different environments in all these operations. I have developed skills in diving, mountaineering, and sailing. Outside of working as an Expedition Guide in the Antarctic, I’m working in the family business in Chile with firefighter rescue teams while studying and participating in sailing expeditions. I am studying mechanical engineering in Santiago and working as a naturalist guide in Antarctica during the summer seasons.

LOCATION:	Chile	AREA OF STUDY:	Sea urchin barrens
NATIONALITY:	Germany/Chile	SPONSOR:	University of Auckland, Leigh Marine Lab
FILMMAKER:	Olivia Allum

START DATE:	27th August
END DATE:	2nd September
LOCATION:	Chile
END POINT:	Germany/Chile

AREA OF STUDY:	Sea urchin barrens
SPONSOR:	University of Auckland, Leigh Marine Lab
FILMMAKER:	Olivia Allum

Area of Study: sea urchin barrens

This project aims to investigate the ecological imbalance between overpopulated Kina (sea urchins) and their detrimental impact on kelp forests in New Zealand.

Kina (Evechinus chloroticus) populations have exploded due to a decline in their natural predators, leading to overgrazing of kelp forests. This has resulted in barren areas where kelp cannot thrive, disrupting marine biodiversity. In response, efforts to control Kina and restore kelp forests are underway, but more research is needed to understand the dynamics of this imbalance and develop effective conservation strategies.

This research was supported by a team of scientists from the University of Auckland’s Leigh campus, located near Goat Island Marine Reserve. The main scientists supporting were Dr. Nick Shears and Dr. Kelsey Miller, both marine biologists that have been analyzing the causes, effects, and possible solutions to restore balance in these marine ecosystems. The scientists proposed to us to give possible solutions related to more efficient kina removal methods and sea urchin counting methods.

The decrease in fish populations, largely due to overfishing, has led to an exponential increase in Kina numbers. Research conducted by scientists has shown that manually removing Kina from rocky seafloors helps restore the ecosystem, albeit through a slow process. However, for long-term regrowth of kelp forests, the re-establishment of natural predators, such as Snapper and Crayfish, is crucial.