Plastic bottles, cigarette butts and polystyrene are still being scooped out of the Hauraki Gulf in vast numbers - despite a charity working tirelessly for 17 years to clean up the pollution.
Sea Cleaners says the Hauraki Gulf will be in better shape for the America's Cup in 2021 than it was in 2003, but the work is far from over in Auckland.
And the charity still needs a huge funding boost to get its work started around the rest of the country.
RNZ's Joanna MacKenzie went out on the harbour to see what's happening.
