Steve Pope 243 Posted October 6, 2022 Share Posted October 6, 2022 Northland Regional Council contracted fiz boats are once again diving on (all) hulls in Northern waters in the search for and containment of the dreaded fanworm. There has even been mention of prosecuting yachties found with it, as has already happened in Fiordland. I'm not sure if that was for fanworm or some other forbiden organism. I did find out from the NRC chairperson that the cost of the boats and diving contractors is being paid for by MPI, and not NRC as I had originally thought. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 397 Posted October 6, 2022 Share Posted October 6, 2022 Waste of time -they should clean it out of the Te Puna before worrying about clean Auckland boats Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ex Machina 365 Posted October 6, 2022 Share Posted October 6, 2022 What are they smoking man Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Psyche 613 Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 "Why is it a problem? The Mediterranean fanworm can form dense colonies of up to 1000 individuals per square metre that will exclude the settlement of other organisms. It also has a high filtering ability that may influence the composition of planktonic communities and abundance of some species. The presence of the Mediterranean fanworm in areas where mussels or oysters are located may affect their growth due to competition for food. The tubes of the Mediterranean fanworm may attached themselves to aquaculture equipment or vessels and this may increase harvesting or fuel costs, respectively." Anyone seen it anywhere is numbers other than at the marina? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ex Machina 365 Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 6 hours ago, Psyche said: "Why is it a problem? The Mediterranean fanworm can form dense colonies of up to 1000 individuals per square metre that will exclude the settlement of other organisms. It also has a high filtering ability that may influence the composition of planktonic communities and abundance of some species. The presence of the Mediterranean fanworm in areas where mussels or oysters are located may affect their growth due to competition for food. The tubes of the Mediterranean fanworm may attached themselves to aquaculture equipment or vessels and this may increase harvesting or fuel costs, respectively." Anyone seen it anywhere is numbers other than at the marina? Yeah the bay in front of our yacht club is well infested with it (Parua bay) . Our race marks need regular cleaning to keep them floating Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CarpeDiem 419 Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 Was Fanworm successfully eliminated from Opua? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted October 7, 2022 Author Share Posted October 7, 2022 I think "Mediteranian" should be a clue as to how successful its eradication, control will be. They stopped worrying about it in 2010 in Auckland!. I spent 3 years on the water around Greece / Turkey /Italy, never saw it and was totally unaware of it. I think we should worry more about the Kina barrens and the loss of kelp beds, sea grass etc. We are responsible for most of the imbalance in the aquatic food chain! Commercial fishing, Kahawai as fishfood for overseas salmon farms for example. Remember how terrible the arrival of the Pacific oyster was when the harbour bridge was being built, soon became a money making business and that got it a stamp of approval. At least with fanworm, NZ waters will me all that much cleaner!! 4 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted October 7, 2022 Author Share Posted October 7, 2022 11 hours ago, CarpeDiem said: Was Fanworm successfully eliminated from Opua? NO Quote Link to post Share on other sites
alibaba 76 Posted October 7, 2022 Share Posted October 7, 2022 If you want to assist in eradication, use 'em for bait. I take a bucket of them off my marina berth, then just squeeze them out of the casing , stick on hook. Fish like them! 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Island Time 1,211 Posted October 8, 2022 Share Posted October 8, 2022 5 hours ago, alibaba said: If you want to assist in eradication, use 'em for bait. I take a bucket of them off my marina berth, then just squeeze them out of the casing , stick on hook. Fish like them! I’m no expert, but my understanding is that they spawn if scraped - in the water. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
splat 55 Posted October 8, 2022 Share Posted October 8, 2022 Fiordland incursion was Undaria sp. I think... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,566 Posted October 8, 2022 Share Posted October 8, 2022 15 hours ago, Island Time said: I’m no expert, but my understanding is that they spawn if scraped - in the water. 10,000 at a time, so if one escapes their very porous net.?....???.?. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted October 8, 2022 Author Share Posted October 8, 2022 Given that Auckland gave up on Med Fanworm in 2010. That Marsden Marina, Parua bay, Tutukaka? B.o.I. Etc. Etc. all have uncontrollable infestations brings to mind the story in Don Quixote about "Tilting at windmills" why would you continue to throw money at an issue that already has you beat?? Though certainly if I was one of the diving contractors I wouldn't want it stopped. Maybe it is the same M.P.I. folk who are trying to eradicate Mycoplasma Bovis, every time they tell us they are close to success, then another farm(s) is found to have it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
harrytom 640 Posted October 8, 2022 Share Posted October 8, 2022 49 minutes ago, Steve Pope said: Given that Auckland gave up on Med Fanworm in 2010. That Marsden Marina, Parua bay, Tutukaka? B.o.I. Etc. Etc. all have uncontrollable infestations brings to mind the story in Don Quixote about "Tilting at windmills" why would you continue to throw money at an issue that already has you beat?? Though certainly if I was one of the diving contractors I wouldn't want it stopped. Maybe it is the same M.P.I. folk who are trying to eradicate Mycoplasma Bovis, every time they tell us they are close to success, then another farm(s) is found to have it. how are going to combat this, Give up? Caulerpa brachypus, which can spread rapidly and create dense mats, was found in July in Blind Bay and Tryphena Harbour Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted October 9, 2022 Author Share Posted October 9, 2022 19 hours ago, harrytom said: how are going to combat this, Give up? Caulerpa brachypus, which can spread rapidly and create dense mats, was found in July in Blind Bay and Tryphena Harbour It is a simple fact of life, and the way we are living it, since the 1970's we have developed the consumer society, of course to do that we had to have shipping from every part of the world to every other part, think ballast water, commercial hulls that are cleaned and painted only every 5 years. The dumbing down of anti-foul paint, etc.etc. what could ever go wrong!! the law of unintended consequences or perhaps just plain old fashioned greed? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Black Panther 1,566 Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 I don't think we have anything in the pantry that will stop fanworm . Stopping boats moving up the coast can at best slow it down, but expect Fanworm to eventually spread to everywhere it can survive. It's how biology works. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aardvarkash10 943 Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 warmer water temperatures aid the invasion of tropical organisms as well. These new (to NZ) species are just another indicator and outcome of warming. Still, we'll be able to grow bananas in Northland! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
waikiore 397 Posted October 9, 2022 Share Posted October 9, 2022 WE have been able to in Auckland since the 70's -pick a sheltered spot. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Steve Pope 243 Posted October 10, 2022 Author Share Posted October 10, 2022 9 hours ago, aardvarkash10 said: warmer water temperatures aid the invasion of tropical organisms as well. These new (to NZ) species are just another indicator and outcome of warming. Still, we'll be able to grow bananas in Northland! Banana's are already being grown commercially (farmers market) in Northland and the small ones have been around for much longer than I've lived up here. I get at least 1 bunch of the small ones every year. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MartinRF 52 Posted October 10, 2022 Share Posted October 10, 2022 23 hours ago, Black Panther said: I don't think we have anything in the pantry that will stop fanworm . Stopping boats moving up the coast can at best slow it down, but expect Fanworm to eventually spread to everywhere it can survive. It's how biology works. Life is very opportunistic. /Martin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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