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Ngāti Paoa hopes its home-grown method of stopping caulerpa seaweed spreading through the Hauraki Gulf will be effective.
Spokesperson Blair Anderson says because of frustration at government inaction, the iwi turned to carpet maker Bremworth – which produced, at its own cost, several hundred metres of wool-matting to deny the weed light and nutrition.
He says Ngati Paoa refuses to accept caulerpa can’t be stopped.
“We’ve had a number of people say to us ‘well you’re too late now, it’s here. We’re just going to have to learn to live with it. The issue for us is, we must do our utmost to eradicate. it’s an issue – particularly for our future generations – if we do not do something here and now,” Mr ANderson says
Other methods being trialed include industrial-strength suction from a dredge and divers hand-pulling up the seaweed.
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