K4309

Ah, but oil from the Niagra is not a biosecurity incursion. So Biosecurity NZ aren't responsible. And its nothing to do with Primary Industries, so the Ministry or Primary Industries aren't interested either. Fairly sure that NRC aren't responsible UNTIL oil leaks. Until then, the oil is the responsibility of the ship owner. Oh, and as it was sunk in an act of war, insurance wont cover it. So someone needs to trot off and find the ships owner, and convince them to salvage the oil before its too late. But as you see, our fractionated and siloed bureaucracy wont deal with it.

I wouldn't worry about it. I'm no expert, but I do like spear fishing and snorkelling around anchorages. Caulerpa (according to the photos) is a fine leafed algae. Not like echlonia which has thicker rubbery leaves (but not that big). echlonia is the sea weed that is brown / golden and has thick stalks about 1 to 2 feet long. Washes up after storms. Only grows on rocks so not an issue for anchoring. I.e. caulerpa is the complete opposite of things like bull kelp that grow in thick, leathery leaves, the type of thing I imagine would stop an anchor pick setting into a sand or mud bottom. It

Depends if there is a Controlled Area Notice in place or not. If there is, it is very difficult to anchor. Or, do you mean that if there is caulerpa present, is it hard to get your anchor to set? Haven't tried it, due to the legal ramifications, but I've never had any issues when I've inadvertently anchored in sea-grass. Pulled up half a meadow last time But I am running a sarca-excel. They set extremely well, like backing down on a brick wall. Some legend called Fish did a trial once with an old plough and an Excel at Arkles Bay. It's posted around here somewhere. The plough wo

Absolutely Steve, The Barrier locals report seeing it there 5 years ago, they just didn't know what it was. Didn't sound like it had made any noticeable impact over that time in terms of the ecosystem collapsing. It was only 'discovered' there because a biologist was on holiday and put it on iNaturist, of which is posted to 6,000 times before (i.e. its his thing). It was only 'discovered' in Rawhiti because Iwi individuals started doing patrols for it. By the shear number of locations found, it has clearly been there for a while. It wasn't transported on a single boat anchor in March

What?!?! But that is not the official narrative!!! The govt said it was boaties, and the govt has never, ever, ever, been wrong. Ever. Choke. And besides, it doesn't matter what the truth is, cause the legacy media have already told Joe Public what to think. It was those rich, entitled, white, boaties. And nothing to do with the incompetent govt.

So it's all over the BoI now. About another dozen or so sites confirmed to have it. This is going to be a clusterfuck. What are the odds that anchoring and fishing will be banned across the BoI this coming summer? I'll start at 3:1

I wouldn't worry about it. Tainui are in charge of the Waikato River now, and they will sort it out properly. None of this Colonialist govt departments and science and stuff. Am I allowed to say that now? Its not politics or religion? (that part is a serious question) Please advise if anyone spontaneously erupts by reading that post.

Here is a question: The good folk of the Barrier are known to be strongly independent. Some would say they are likely to have a deeper distrust of the government than most of us. Noting it was an outsider that first reported the infestation in Blind Bay, the first thing MPI did was stop all the locals from fishing. Giving there is bugger all else to do on the barrier, and there isn't a Countdown, that can be a bit of a problem. After several hui MPI have let them fish in their own bays again with a bunch of rules. Effectively meaning they can only fish out of kayaks. Knowing tha

Argh, I thought it was Blind Bay and changed it worrying someone would correct me... Where is Bland Bay then? On the eastern side of Whangamumu (or the other Whanga-harbour, the one just north of Elizabeth Reef and Rimariki Island?)

Bland Bay isn't the most popular anchorage, yet it appears to be the epicentre of the outbreak. That just doesn't make sense, given MPI's argument that it is / has / can be spread by anchors. I would argue it is far more logical that it got to Bland Bay by some other means, and that there is a risk that anchors could spread it around the rest of the Gulf. The other thing that confuses me substantially (which isn't hard). How can it be in Tryphena, Bland Bay and Whangaparapara but not in Bowling Alley Bay or Fitzroy itself? To almost answer my own question, we all know the East A

I never feel very happy or safe when I read statements like that. It is safe. for rats. and in small doses. Apparently it makes kina sterile... Thanks for the links.

I still think it should be included in the Emissions Trading Scheme.

I'm actually quite interested in these native species of caulerpa, but haven't been able to find any information on them yet. Any google search for anything related gets buried in stories about the exotic species. To compare attributes to the exotic species, particularly range, habitat and growth rates. I was under the impression that both exotic species were toxic, both from the expert at the boatshow and comments on here. So I was surprised to see that statement on the MPI site that they are not toxic, or at least they do not cause toxicity in edible fish. It is not actually clear from

Given the initial infestation in Bland Bay had clearly been there for some time, I think it is highly likely that there is more of it around that just hasn't been found or identified yet. There is nothing to suggest the Bland Bay / Barrier infestation was the first patch of growth in NZ. The stuff at Bland Bay was only discovered because an ecologist was there on holiday, and decided to put a photo of the stuff on a citizen science page cause he didn't know what it was. How many of us bother to find out what genus and species the green sh*t is on the beach when we go for a walk? Noti

Note: The 2 exotic species of caulerpa present in New Zealand at Aotea Great Barrier Island and Ahuahu Great Mercury Island do not contain this toxin and do not create any food safety issue with consuming fish. Aquarium Caulerpa | NZ Government (mpi.govt.nz) So, brachypus and the other one is not toxic. Only the main fish tank variety is. Is this then not the solution to our kina barrens?

Apparently I'm not the only one that thinks MPI / Biosecurity NZ is doing a sh*t job. Council seeks urgent Ministerial meeting over seaweed threat 15 May 2023, 9:15 AM A ‘manifestly insufficient’ response by Biosecurity New Zealand to the threat posed to Taitokerau by invasive Caulerpa seaweed has prompted the Northland Regional Council to seek an urgent meeting with Biosecurity Minister Damien O’Connor. In a letter to the Minister the council says the threat posed by the seaweed

Erm, so how did the NZ native species of Caulerpa get here?

There are potential positives to Caulerpa: We have a problem with kina barrens right? If kina eat this stuff they go sterile. So, it may well create suitable habitat for nursery fish, and, tadaa, re-balance the Hauraki Gulf. Providing the caulerpa doesn't smother other food sources, this could work really well. The photos I've seen show the eclonia still growning, with the caulerpa around the base. Could just work. The other thing is the carbon sequestered growing this stuff. Carbon sequestered in the oceans is enough to reverse climate change. There are many projects underway to gro

No one has claimed these strains are only in Singapore, you have made that up. Same as the moderator making sh*t up. I relayed that the expert said they are native to Singapore. You have decided to add in 'only' native to Singapore. The basic problem here, is that when confronted with facts that don't confirm with what ever narrative you've all been indoctrinated in, you getting your undies tied in a knot. MPI have put out the narrative that boaties are the problem. When presented with actual facts, instead of an indoctrination, you really don't like it. There is a viable alternative

Are you a bit thick? Brachypus is used in aquariums. A quick google search will show 4 aquarium companies that sell it online. Ex Machina has already shown you a link of where to get it, which you laughed at. It is used to absorb phosphorous and nitrogen, to keep the water healthy. To reduce the P and N it grows rapidly and is then removed from the aquarium, as a waste product. The question is how it is disposed of. Same as long-necked turtles. Again, all I am doing is repeating the opinion of the AC expert. This is a guy that has worked for 30 years in marine biology in the US

You laugh Carpediem, but this is exactly what the AC expert was talking about. Exceptionally easy to import. Put it in a bag of water, tie the top off, pop it in a box and post it. Keep in an aquarium then flush down the drain. Have you ever heard of long-necked turtles? I'll come back to Singapore again. Cruising yachts don't travel between Singapore and NZ. Oil tankers do. Oil tankers go into Marsden Point. Which way does the East Auckland Current flow? From just off Fungarie directly over Great Barrier...

I'm just repeating what the expert said. For your information. The main point being that there are alternative sources to cruising boat anchors. Given that Caulerpa brachypus is native to Singapore, and cruising boats don't go between NZ and Singapore, it is highly likely some other vector was used. To rule out the aquarium industry is a nonsense. It is a viable possible vector, and is the known cause of the biggest outbreak of caulerpa globally. Now riddle me this, how is it that caulerpa apparently can't survive in open water (hence the experts discount tides and currents

Good grief, is that how you react when you see an opinion you disagree with? Attacking the person, linking their view with fringe lunatics, but not actually stating what you disagree with and why? Kate Hannah much? Seeing as you went there, first. Please forgive me, but aren't you supposed to exchange views on a forum, or, as a moderator, is it your own little fiefdom to run down any opinion you disagree with? Now, lets go over your actual points: 1) I never said private enterprise would do it better. You made that up. I said that if a bureaucrat was in industry, they wou

So what has any of that got to do with conspiracies and burning effigies at Parliament?