Green Party water spokesperson Eugenie Sage is leading a party of kayakers along the Wairoa River to Fergusson Park.

The keen kayakers are taking part in the party's fourth annual Dirty Water Tour in Tauranga.

Eugenie Sage taking to the Wairoa River.

They will be starting from the bridge on State Highway 2, Wairoa, and heading along the river to Fergusson Park.

The Two Wairoa River sites both ranked poor in the Ministry for the Environment 2012 Recreational Water Quality Report Card.

Environment Waikato's 'Water Quality of Bay of Plenty Rivers 1989 – 2008” showed increases in nitrogen and phosphorous and decreases in dissolved oxygen and clarity which indicate decreasing water quality, says Eugenie.

'We need strong clean water rules now to ensure that our children can enjoy swimming in our rivers, lakes and streams like the Wairoa.

'The Wairoa is one of our many lowland rivers which is suffering due to intensive agriculture in the catchment.

'The Wairoa Estuary is home to many species including some at considerable risk from extinction like the bittern.”

Once the kayakers reach their destination, they will be getting into dry clothes and having a barbecue before a public meeting is held at the park.

Antoine Coffin, Ngati Kahu, will be a guest speaker at the meeting, along with Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Robyn Skelton and a representative from Federated Farmers who will discuss the water quality issues.