Dr Shane Kelly
FOUNDER and Managing Director
Shane has a diverse range of research experience, beginning his research career working on a marine ecology, conservation and aquaculture, and later branching into resource and contaminant management. As Principal Advisor on research and monitoring for Auckland Regional Council, Shane managed major research, monitoring, and strategic projects, including State of the Environment monitoring and research programmes for water quality, sediment quality and ecosystem health.
In 2008, he left to establish Coast and Catchment Ltd. Since then he has provided technical advice on the effects of a numerous coastal and landuse activities including coastal effects of stormwater, wastewater and industrial discharges, port and marina dredging and disposal, major pollution spills, aquaculture, reclamation, mangrove removal, and fisheries surveys. Shane has been the lead author of four State of the Hauraki Gulf reports, and reported on the values and state of many other harbours and estuaries. He designed and reports on the harbour monitoring programme for New Zealand’s largest wastewater treatment plant (Mangere), and has assessed or advised on the effects of many others. He has prepared environmental assessments for stormwater management covering much of the Auckland Region, and provided assessments and advice for other cities including Wellington and Napier.
Shane has a thorough understanding of RMA processes and regularly acts as a technical advisor to both regulators and applicants, and as an independent hearing commissioner.
Dr Carina Sim-Smith
Senior marine scientist
Carina is an outstanding marine scientist who joined us in 2013 and quickly cemented a lead role in the organisation. Carina spent her early research career working on invasive marine species, snapper ecology, aquaculture, and sponge taxonomy. She has since expanded her skill-set, with clients now seeking her assistance on a broad range of coastal issues. Carina has a passion for working on complex projects that have a tangible influence on coastal management and marine outcomes. Some of her work highlights include:
Conducting national and international research that is underpinning improvements in biosecurity management in NZ’s aquaculture sector.
Providing the science underpinning mussel bed restoration in the Hauraki Gulf, including: habitat surveys, biosecurity advice, impact assessments, establishing shell-bed trials, and monitoring restoration outcomes.
Being a key contributor to the 2014, 2017 and 2020 “State of the Hauraki Gulf” reports.
Managing benthic surveys of marine farms throughout the Auckland and Waikato Regions.