Marine Pathway Plan. Frequently asked questions. Contents

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1 Frequently asked questions Marine Pathway Plan March 2017 Contents Why care about marine pests?... 1 What is the Marine Pathway Plan?... 2 Why is it better than the current approach?... 2 Who is affected?... 3 What is light fouling?... 3 Where are the designated places?... 3 What if I m not going far?... 4 What about visiting boats arriving from overseas?... 4 How does this tie in with other requirements for boaties?... 4 When would the new rules come into effect?... 4 Could I clean my boat in the water?... 5 Could I move my boat to get to a haul-out facility?... 5 Would I get fined if I don t comply?... 5 What if my boat sits on its mooring or marina berth for months at a time e.g. through winter?... 5 What if we have an emergency on board?... 6 Has this approach been tried elsewhere?... 6 What if it s too hard to keep my hull clean?... 6 What will it cost to implement and enforce the new rules?... 6 Who pays for council s marine pest management work?... 7 What about all the large vessels discharging ballast water are they responsible for bringing marine pests in?... 7 What analysis was done to support the proposed marine pathway approach?... 7 If this is a better approach, why hasn t it already been done?... 7 Why care about marine pests? Northland has an incredible coastal environment that is central to our recreation, culture and economy, particularly fishing, aquaculture and tourism. Once introduced, marine pests have the potential to impact on all these things. Nearly any activity you enjoy on the water can be impacted in some way by marine pests. Marine pests can compete with native species, damage boats and increase their fuel consumption, and affect the survival and growth of important fisheries species such as scallops and mussels. Recently the highly invasive Mediterranean fanworm has Frequently asked questions Marine Pathway Plan March

2 been observed growing on scallops in the Whangārei harbour as it does in parts of Australia. We don t know what marine pests will arrive in the future, but the probability of more arriving is high. Some marine pests are already here, yet we still have many harbours and offshore islands free of the worst pests like Mediterranean fanworm and Undaria (Japanese kelp). Preventing new pests from establishing, and preventing the ones that are here from spreading, is about preserving our amazing marine environment, now and for future generations. What is the Marine Pathway Plan? The Marine Pathway Plan is a proposed new addition to our Regional Pest Management Plan, aimed at improving the way marine pests are managed in Northland. New legislation now allows us to manage the pathway, which is the way pests are transferred from one place to another. For marine pests, the main pathway is boats with hull fouling. The proposed plan will require owners/people in charge of vessels entering Northland from other regions, or moving between designated places within the region, to ensure that there is no more than light fouling on the hull and niche areas of their craft. Having low levels of biofouling and a clean hull when the vessel moves to a new location means that, regardless of the current pests and future threats, the owner can rest assured their hull won t be a vector. The Marine Pathway Plan works in conjunction with the existing species-specific rules. Why is it better than the current approach? Our current marine pest management plans focus just on individual species (transporting named pest species is not allowed). However, marine pests, particularly in their juvenile stages, can conceal themselves amongst other biofouling, making them hard to detect. Requiring boats to have low levels of biofouling when moving around reduces the risk of marine pest larvae or juveniles being transported to another location. This approach is a proactive and more cost-effective way of preventing marine pests from reaching new areas rather than waiting and responding once they have become established. It s also much simpler for surveillance crew, who can be less concerned about what is a pest and what isn t. Our cost-benefit analysis estimates that introducing the pathways approach has nearly ten times the net benefit compared with the current species-specific approach only. Frequently asked questions Marine Pathway Plan March

3 Retaining the species-specific rules as well means it is still illegal to transport marine pests, even in the same harbour, which complements the new pathway plan rules and overall provides a much more robust approach to marine pest management. Who is affected? The proposed marine pathway plan will apply to all vessels entering Northland from other regions, or moving between designated places within the Northland region (see Where are the designated places? ). This includes recreational yachts and launches; and commercial vessels such as fishing boats, tugs and barges, tankers and naval craft. Most trailer boats wouldn t be affected by the rules as they don t usually live in the water long enough to grow fouling. What is light fouling? Light fouling means small patches (up to 100mm in diameter) totalling less than 5% of the hull and niche areas. As a rough gauge, if the hull-fouling is visible from the surface, it s probably more than light fouling. Light fouling was selected based on research into the risks associated with different levels of fouling for more detail, see the plan s cost-benefit analysis on our website at It is also consistent with Ministry for Primary Industry s standards for visiting international vessels (the Craft Risk Management Standard). Where are the designated places? The rule about light fouling would only apply if you moved your boat to another place that is, another harbour, estuary or popular offshore anchorage. Maps in the plan show where these designated places are. They are: Parengarenga Harbour, Houhora Harbour, Rangaunu Harbour, Whangape and Herekino Harbours, Hokianga Harbour, Doubtless Bay, Whangaroa Harbour, the Cavalli Islands, the Bay of Islands, Whangaruru Harbour, Whananaki Harbour, the Poor Knights Islands, Tutukaka Harbour to Pataua Estuary, Hen & Chicken Islands, Bream Head to Bream Bay (including Whangārei Harbour), Mangawhai Harbour and Waipu Estuary, and the part of the Kaipara Harbour lying within the Northland Regional Council boundary. The harbours and popular anchorages listed as places were designated after taking into account known marine pest risks, common vessel movements and the availability of haul-out/cleaning facilities. It is important to remember that, regardless of the level of fouling on your hull, it s still an offence to transport marine pests (even within the same harbour). Frequently asked questions Marine Pathway Plan March

4 What if I m not going far? To meet the proposed marine pathway plan rule, your vessel hull will need to be clean before moving to a new area (as per the designated places ). If you are staying in the harbour or just heading out for a fish and coming back in to the same harbour, you do not need to meet the hull biofouling standard. Again, it is important to remember that, regardless of the level of fouling on your hull, it s still an offence to transport marine pests (even within the same harbour). What about visiting boats arriving from overseas? Biosecurity requirements applying to arriving vessels are the responsibility of the Ministry for Primary Industries. As part of these border checks, the Ministry for Primary Industries will inspect vessel biofouling logbooks and hulls to ensure they meet the Craft Risk Management Standard. Council s responsibilities begin after a vessel has completed these checks and the accompanying quarantine and Customs checks. This is another reason why it makes sense for council s proposed Marine Pathway Plan and the Craft Risk Management Standard to be aligned (see What is light fouling? ). How does this tie in with other requirements for boaties? The Marine Pathway Plan ties in with the work that council has been doing alongside Northland marinas over recent years to combat the spread of Mediterranean fanworm, one of the world s worst marine invaders, which has turned up several times in Northland. Marinas in Northland (and in other regions) have been requiring owners to provide evidence of complying with their six or one' programme prior to being allowed to berth in the marina: either an antifoul within the previous six months, or a lift-andwash within one month of leaving a fanworm-infected location. If a vessel meets the six or one requirements, it will most likely also meet the light fouling level set in the proposed marine pathway plan. When would the new rules come into effect? Council s initial emphasis will be on raising awareness amongst boat owners about the steps they can take to comply with the plan, including information on recommended maintenance regimes and assessing the fouling on their hull. Marine industry stakeholders will also be trained. Enforcement of the Marine Pathway Plan rules is intended to begin from May 2018, again aligning with implementation of the Craft Risk Management Standard. Council s marine pest rules (which require vessel owners/people in charge to ensure there are no pest species or unwanted organisms on the hull of their vessels) will continue to apply, and the existing programme of hull surveys by divers will also continue. Frequently asked questions Marine Pathway Plan March

5 Could I clean my boat in the water? In-water cleaning is covered by council s Regional Plan. Controls on in-water cleaning are in place not only to prevent the spread of marine pests but also the unnecessary discharge of heavy metals from antifouling paints into the environment. The current rules allow for in-water cleaning if there is no discharge, which in real terms means only the use of a soft cloth to clean a boat with a hard antifoul paint on its hull. To make it easier for people to keep their hulls clean, the council is hoping to relax the rules around in-water cleaning (in our Proposed Regional Plan, due out for consultation later in 2017). This would make it a permitted activity to clean light fouling off most boats, provided there are no marine pests and the boat is in commercial and marinas zones and within 50m of mapped mooring zones. Light fouling is a slime layer on the hull, although it includes any goose barnacles and also occasional small patches (up to 10cm wide) of macrofouling (visible organisms) that total less than 5% of the hull. Could I move my boat to get to a haul-out facility? You will be able to move directly to a haul-out facility in another place to have your boat cleaned, after first contacting council by phone or to make a specific plan for this and seek permission. Would I get fined if I don t comply? Council intends to take a staged approach to implementing the marine pathway plan, if approved. During the first year, owners/people in charge of vessels that exceed light fouling when moving between places will receive a warning and information regarding the fouling on their hull. After this time, vessels that are found entering Northland or moving between places in the region with a level of fouling exceeding light fouling will receive a Notice of Direction. This requires the owner/person in charge to take the vessel directly to an approved haul-out facility to be cleaned or clean the fouling in another approved manner, at the owner s cost. Council also has the ability to issue fines ranging from $750 to $1000. These are currently only used in cases where there has been repeat offending or disregard for environmental impacts. What if my boat sits on its mooring or marina berth for months at a time e.g. through winter? The rules in the proposed marine pathway plan state that vessels with a level of fouling exceeding light fouling cannot move between places in Northland, on the basis that hull biofouling poses a biosecurity risk when vessels take that biofouling to a new location. If your vessel was clean when it entered the place and has only collected local biofouling while on its mooring or in a marina berth, it poses no risk of Frequently asked questions Marine Pathway Plan March

6 introducing new marine pests until it moves to a new place and carries that fouling with it. However, council s marine pest rules also apply. If the vessel is carrying Mediterranean fanworm or another marine pest like Undaria, then the vessel will be required to have these pests removed regardless of where it is located or how long it s been there. These rules are in place to ensure recognised pests and species that are already impacting on Northland are not spread any further. If one of these listed marine pests is found on the hull of a vessel, a Notice of Direction will be issued to the owners/person in charge. What if we have an emergency on board? If there is a genuine emergency affecting the safety of the vessel or someone on board, the pathway plan rules will not apply. Has this approach been tried elsewhere? Environment Southland proposed a marine pathway plan for vessels travelling to Fiordland, Gisborne District Council has proposed rules that state vessels entering the district must be clean. A number of other regional councils in New Zealand are also considering marine pathways plans as an option. What if it s too hard to keep my hull clean? Based on previous surveillance work, we know that approximately 60% of Northland vessels already meet this standard. Surveys of vessel owners also indicated that most will haul their boat out for a check-over before making a big move from harbour to harbour. The council is conscious that with a limited number of haul-out facilities in Northland and strict rules around in-water cleaning, the practicalities of people keeping their hulls clean needs to be part of the discussion. Most boaties genuinely want to do the right thing, as long as it is reasonably practical to do. However, not all harbours have haul-out facilities, so council is also looking into the availability of tidal grids across the region. To make it easier for people to keep their hulls clean, the council plans to relax the rules around in-water cleaning (in our Proposed Regional Plan, due out for consultation later in 2017). This would make it a permitted activity to clean light fouling (as defined in the plan) off most boats, provided there are no marine pests and the boat is in commercial and marinas zones and within 50m of mapped mooring zones. What will it cost to implement and enforce the new rules? Implementation of the pathways plan would largely be done via the council s existing marine biosecurity programme. For 2017/18 we have budgeted $480,000 for our marine biosecurity programme; last year we spent $430,000. Frequently asked questions Marine Pathway Plan March

7 The largest cost is our hull survey programme to ensure compliance with rules in the current season around 1500 hulls will be checked; next year we plan to increase this to Other costs include public education, research, and funding development of tools that can make hull surveying more cost-efficient. Who pays for council s marine pest management work? Council s marine pest management work is significant, covering hull surveys, compliance and enforcement, readiness and response, public education, collaboration with other regions and research. Currently the costs are effectively funded by ratepayers; however, council is seeking feedback on the fairest way to pay for marine pest management. This includes a possible marine biosecurity charge for moorings, marinas, boatsheds and three large commercial facilities. Find out more in our Annual Plan Consultation Document at What about all the large vessels discharging ballast water are they responsible for bringing marine pests in? Ballast water exchange is already covered by Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) regulations intended to minimise the risk of marine pest spread. Vessels must exchange water well offshore outside New Zealand s territorial limits where there is no habitat for marine pests to survive. No ballast water may be discharged in NZ waters unless it meets the MPI standards. Over the past decade, the vast majority of new marine pest introductions globally have been attributed to hull biofouling. What analysis was done to support the proposed marine pathway approach? A cost-benefit analysis was undertaken on various levels of intervention to ensure the proposed approach is the best option. This is in our cost benefit analysis report (see section Marine Pathway Plan, sub-section Biofouling ), available at It looked at a range of options ranging from no regional intervention right through to no allowable fouling at all. The quantitative analysis uses a model originally developed by Cawthron Research. The model includes not only the public costs of a pathways plan (such as surveillance, administration and enforcement) but also the private costs to vessel owners in meeting various levels of hull biofouling. Setting a minimum standard for hull fouling upon movement from one place to another was considered the most efficient, practical and cost-effective option. This approach was also shown to have nearly ten times the net benefit compared with the current species-only approach. If this is a better approach, why hasn t it already been done? Legislation allowing councils to manage the pathway was introduced relatively recently. Pathway management is a novel approach to marine biosecurity. Environment Southland has a proposed marine pathway plan for Fiordland, with several other councils also considering marine pathway plans. We want to ensure Frequently asked questions Marine Pathway Plan March

8 people have the opportunity to give feedback before making any final decisions to implement this approach in Northland. Frequently asked questions Marine Pathway Plan March