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Download AudioCaulerpa spreads to Te Pewhairangi – Bay of Islands, impacting hapū across the region.
Northland Regional Council receives $6.2 million to tackle the invasive seaweed, now found off Urupukapuka, Poroporo, Motukiekie, and Moturua Islands, near Biosecurity New Zealand’s controlled area at Parekura Bay.
Council’s Group Biosecurity lead Don McKenzie says boaties must bag or dispose of Caulerpa on site rather than moving it, as warm weather is helping it thrive.
“A lot of communities, they’ll tell you, like, this time of the year has been incredibly warm temperatures. Caulerpa loves that. So it’s growing very fast. And we know that if fragments and that gets spread to new places, well, it’s got every chance of surviving there, you know. So, yeah, it is very concerning now,” says McKenzie.
Don McKenzie says the council is working with the Ministry of Primary Industries and local hapū on how to properly combat Caulerpa with drenching.
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