Council undertakes State of the Environment monitoring of heavy metals in seabed sediments and compliance monitoring of certain activities on land that may contribute to metal contamination. This allows us to assess the level of metal contamination along our coastline and track changes in contamination levels over time. This information can be used to make informed decisions regarding the management of the marine environment and activities on land which may contribute to metal contamination.
This report provides analysis and interpretation of Council’s sediment metal data collected for both State of the Environment and compliance monitoring purposes. It aims to report on: the level of contamination in Northland waters; describe spatial patterns of contamination; identify any areas of concern and changes in contamination levels over time.
Published: 26 Nov 2025