Council's marine pest plea

Moored boat owners are being asked to help keep marine pests out of the region this summer by regularly checking, cleaning and antifouling their hulls.

The plea comes after Bay of Plenty Regional Council Biosecurity Officer Hamish Lass revealed around half of the boats on Tauranga Harbour's swing moorings are in need of a clean.


A boat infested with Mediterranean Fanworm is cleaned in February 2015. Photo: File.

'Marina berth holders are doing better,” says Hamish. 'About 90 per cent of the boat hulls we've seen in Tauranga Bridge and Sulphur Point Marinas are clean enough to avoid pest attachment.

'Regardless of where a boat is moored, it will only take one infested boat in the wrong place, at the wrong time to create a costly problem in the Bay.

'The golden rule for hull maintenance is ‘no more than light slime, all the time'. We're also asking people to re-check and clean their hull before they sail to a different area, every time.”

Regional Council, assisted by Ministry for Primary Industries and the University of Waikato, have been assessing boat fouling levels on Tauranga Harbour as part of council's marine pest surveillance programme.

Heavily fouled hulls should be hauled out for cleaning so that the removed foul can be contained and disposed of on land. Haul out facilities are available at Bridge Marina.

By keeping their hulls clean, it is hoped boat owners will make it harder for pests to latch on and become more widespread.

Marine pests such as Mediterranean fanworm (Sabella spallanzanii) and clubbed tunicate sea squirt (Styela clava) have become established in parts of Auckland and Northland, but not the Bay of Plenty.

Japanese kelp (Undaria pinnatifida) and Didemnum sea squirt (Didemnum vexillum) are established in the Bay of Plenty but not in other parts of New Zealand. Marine pests are known to hide on hull fouling, and can easily become established in new locations if they spawn or are knocked off there.

Because of their aggressive growth habits, marine pests can interfere with fisheries and create problems for boat owners and marine-based businesses.

'If you own a swing mooring, it's important to make sure that any visiting boats are cleaned, preferably at their port of origin, before you let them tie-up,” says Hamish.

'Swing mooring holders are required to notify the Harbourmaster before loaning out their mooring.”

Since Mediterranean fanworm was first detected in Pilot Bay in September 2013, the regional council has maintained a surveillance programme to prevent unwanted marine pests from becoming established in the region.

To date, five infested boats and 29 individual Mediterranean fanworms have been found and removed from the Tauranga Harbour.

The marine pest surveillance programme involves bi-annual underwater checks on 450 moorings, 800 boat hulls, 10 kilometres of marina pontoons and 1.5 kilometres of rock walls in southern Tauranga Harbour.

Boats and moorings in Whakatane and Ohiwa Harbours, and lower risk sites in Tauranga Harbour and off-shore, are checked every two years.

'We can't be everywhere, all the time,” adds Hamish. 'We really need boat owners to protect the marine environment they love by maintaining their boats, keeping their mates honest, and watching out for new incursions.”

Anyone who sees a heavily fouled hull or suspicious marine life in the Bay of Plenty should report it to Regional Council on: 0800 ST0P PESTS (0800 780 773).

A boat cleaning guide and further information about marine pests is available at: www.boprc.govt.nz/marinepests

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2 comments

Ships ?

Posted on 06-10-2015 15:58 | By peecee09

Are ships using the Port Of Tauranga subjected to inspection? They should be as International shipping is the most likely source of these pests. Also why not make it an offence to own a boat that has these pests on their hulls.


Yes

Posted on 07-10-2015 07:38 | By Kenworthlogger

All ship hulls are inspected mainly for hidden drugs etc both inside and out.


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