K4309

That is a very good example of the basic issue with YNZ Psyche (at the risk of getting political). They appear super capable with comms specialists. A weekly / fortnightly news-email with so many stories to read. But no actual advocacy. In your example, they have loads of content, but all from someone else. Given their national status as representing boaties, I would like / expect them to release a Public Statement saying: 1) There is no evidence boaties have spread caulerpa (cause there is no evidence, it is just a theory) 2) It is just as likely it is from the aquarium tr

The easiest way to come up with a set of rudimentary polars is to get an ORC handicap certificate. The certificate comes with design polars for your boat. They aren't going to be as flash or accurate as the boat designers polars for a modern GP racer, but to enable basic weather routing for a middle aged NZ cruiser they are ideal. I don't know what they cost now, I did mine about a decade ago, and it was maybe $100. Substantially cheaper than the nonsense with IRC. The below link is a current certificate for a First 50 based in Aust. Shows you the level of detail you can get. Just ty

That is my point. But aren't they only in charge of Olympic medals? I guess I was using 'the lowest form of wit' to highlight the shortcommings of YNZ. Given the existential threat to hardstands and haulout facilities nationally, AYBA are doing the heavy lifting on that in Auckland, and they get something like $3.56 in my annual club subs, while YNZ get something like $40 or $50. Entirely ineffective organisation with a 'job for life' CEO.

If only we could get all our boating clubs to join together in some sort of Federation...

Oh I fully agree. That the govt f**ks around spending moonbeams trying to control nature, being all these invasive species, when they have something here with the Niagra that could actually control, but don't, because it doesn't fall within the remit of any of the govt silos. These invasive species is just nature being nature. Things change, species come, species go. It is right up there with trying to control the weather. That is what everyone is trying to do with the whole concept of 'tackling climate change'

What are you going to do with 8kW on a boat? Light up the Sky Tower? The biggest stereo and cocktail blender might nudge 3 or 4 kW max Most batteries can't take more than 40 odd amps anyway

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