Hawke’s Bay Biosecurity Expert Battles The Baddies

Thursday, 6 February 2025, 9:19 pm
Article: Linda Hall - Local Democracy Reporter

Alice McNatty spends her working days making sure the baddies don't overtake the goodies.

The Hawke's Bay Regional Council senior biosecurity adviser said marine pests compete with good organisms for food.

Recently the biosecurity team was out watching a dive inspection of boats that had come into Hawke's Bay from other regions.

A local diver checked hulls for marine pests and found a Mediterranean fanworm.

Mediterranean fanworm are pests that form dense beds and are likely to out-compete other species for food and space.

"That's why it's so important boaties clean their hulls when entering and leaving the region. If they don't, and pests get through it risks the recreational and cultural marine environment that we all love," McNatty said.

She said the most common pests in Hawke's Bay were the Mediterranean fanworm and the clubbed tunicate.

McNatty, who had worked for HBRC for 15 years in various roles within biosecurity, said her job was hugely variable.

"If I'm in the office I'm usually working online with Top of the North Marine Biosecurity partnership. We meet to share experiences and information.

"Otherwise, I'm out and about checking vessels in the Ahuriri inner harbour mainly."

She said they didn't check every vessel, just high-risk ones.

"We look at the top of the waterline and if it's fouled, we get divers in to have a look.

"Sometimes vessels submit forms and if they haven't been hauled out of the water and cleaned for a while, or if they are from a high-risk region, we would check them.

"Lots of work goes into reducing the risk of these pests entering and establishing in the Bay."

The operator of a vessel entering the waters of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council must ensure the hull (includes hull area, niche areas and wind and water line) or any structure or navigation aid of any origin, is sufficiently cleaned and antifouled so that there is no more than a slime layer and or goose barnacles.

She said if anyone noticed something out of the ordinary in our waters they should contact HBRC or MPI.

McNatty said invasive marine plants were also a problem.

"Caulerpa has recently been found up north. That will be a huge problem if it is given the chance to establish here and have a big impact.

"It forms a dense field and could alter the ecosystem."

McNatty, who has a master's degree in marine biology and ecology, loved her job.

"Every day is different with new challenges and meeting new people."

Born and bred in Hawke's Bay, she said the region was lucky to not have many marine pests.

"But we must remain vigilant and keep vessels clean."

She said if a vessel entered Hawke's Bay waters and an inspection found the hull was fouled, they would work with the owner to get the vessel cleaned as soon as possible, or make other arrangements to reduce the biosecurity risk.

"Where the vessel has come from, how fouled it is, size of vessel etc are considerations we take into account when looking at what course of action we take.

"If a pest is found on a vessel we remove it as soon as possible - how this is done depends on the species and the amount of the pest on the vessel and other fouling.

"If a vessel is fouled or has a marine pest the cost to clean the vessel and/or remove the pest is at the owner's expense."

She said most people were happy to have their hulls inspected.

"We do get people that are not happy about it, but we can usually talk them around once we explain why and what we are doing."

She said if boats were sitting in the harbour with dirty hulls they weren't really a risk.

"The risk is when they move."

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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