Kaikoura to be surveyed for marine pests

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7 May 2007

Researchers from NIWA will be surveying marine habitats in Kaikoura for foreign organisms next week (14–20 May).

7 May 2007

The survey is being carried out as part of Biosecurity New Zealand’s national biological baseline survey and resurvey programme.

The programme is designed to determine which non-native marine species have already become established in New Zealand and to develop a baseline for the detection of new pests.

A team of divers will carry out a thorough search of all port structures, seabed habitats, and beaches, collecting samples of plants, plankton, invertebrates, fish, and seafloor sediments. They will also lay down baited traps overnight to collect crabs and shrimps.

The surveys will be weather-dependent and may be postponed if conditions are not favourable.

The samples collected will be identified by experts in New Zealand and overseas to determine their origins. This process can take several months. Seabed communities and fouling organisms will be photographed and filmed to identify species that have not been captured in individual samples.

Boat operators should watch out for divers during daylight hours from 8 am to 5 pm. Divers will be operating around the wharves and marine farms at depths of 5 m and close to the seafloor. They will also be operating around rocky reefs, rocky rip-rap, shipwrecks, kelp and seagrass meadows, over soft bottoms, and around beaches.

Dive vessels are clearly marked as ‘Research vessels’ and the skippers will be monitoring local VHF channels. A dive flag will be prominently displayed whenever diving is underway.

Biosecurity New Zealand and NIWA would like to hear from anyone who has seen any new or unusual plants or animals in the area.

To report any suspicious finds, please call the free Biosecurity New Zealand hotline: 0800 80 99 66

Additional Information

The survey will cover the following sites:

Ingles Bay wharf
Goochs Beach
Ingles Bay boat mooring
Fyffe cove slipway
Gooch beach slipway
Kaikoura inner harbour
Nine pin rock
St Kilda rocks
Point Kean/Lynch reef
Atia Point
South Bay slipway
South Bay piles
Gooch Bay beach
Baxter reef
Cone rock

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