Abstract: This report summarises the key results of water quality, sediment quality, ecological health and habitat monitoring undertaken in the Wellington Region’s near-shore coastal environment for the period 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017. In addition, this report presents for the first time a description of the water quality mooring array deployed in Wellington Harbour and the microbial forecast developed for Porirua Harbour.

Keywords: Coast, estuary, ecology, rocky shore, microbial forecast, Porirua Harbour, Hutt Estuary, Waikanae Estuary, Wellington Harbour, water quality buoy, biophysical mooring, sediment quality, invertebrate community