Northland Webinar To Give Update On Battle Against Invasive Seaweed Caulerpa
The groundbreaking Northland-focused online caulerpa hui had 343 registrations and counting on Monday, May 26, morning in what has become a webinar of significant and increasing size.
It has been organised by Northland's Conquer Caulerpa Trust.
Conquer Caulerpa chair Verdon Kelliher said the event aimed to update participants on the region's efforts to fight the invasive superspreader exotic seaweed.
Biosecurity New Zealand director pest management and the Government's national caulerpa response manager John Walsh will be among those speaking at the hui.
He will be there along with Northland Regional Council chair Geoff Crawford, exotic caulerpa national advisory group Tai Tokerau Northland representative Natasha Clarke and Kelliher.
Ngāti Kuta trustee Glenys Papuni will speak about the caulerpa fight partnership mahi her Te Rāwhiti hāpu is involved with.
Kelliher said topics addressed would include the latest on where caulerpa has been found in Northland.
Participants would also be updated on caulerpa elimination efforts.
Kelliher said the webinar had been organised to address the most commonly-asked questions about invasive caulerpa and efforts to fight it in Northland.
New technologies being developed in Northland and nationally include a large industrial-scale underwater tractor unit, ultra-violet light treatment and a movable underwater chlorine treatment chamber.
New Zealand's first commercial rapid response caulerpa dive squad recently started surveying for the seaweed and new elimination efforts.
Caulerpa was first confirmed in Northland in 2023 at the major boating anchorage of Omākiwi Cove at Te Rāwhiti.
The Omākiwi Cove infestation is New Zealand's only mainland caulerpa infestation.
MPI deputy director general Stuart Anderson said at the time of the seaweed's Omākiwi Cove and surrounds find that the Bay of Islands caulerpa infestation was a sizeable problem.
as efforts to get on top of the pest continue.
Hundreds of people rushed to clear Omākiwi Cove and adjacent Whiorau Bay beaches after 500 tonnes of caulerpa washed up over Easter during ex-Tropical Cyclone Tam.
New Zealand has recently been warned invasive caulerpa threatens a $9.4b hit.
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