Issue 13 September 2013 In this issue: Rena operational roles and responsibilities An update on Rena Recovery activities What s happening with wildlife Operational update on the wreck from the owners Cutting down and cleaning up Diving in the deep photos from under the waves Banded wrasse above Rena s anchor chain, covered in marine growth from diver photos Rena operational roles and responsibilities This diagram shows the roles and responsibilities of the various organisations involved in Rena Recovery, and how they interact. Information from the owners and insurers which is of interest to newsletter subscribers is included in this edition.
An update on Rena Recovery activities Here s a quick update on Rena Recovery activities over the past couple of months. Some beach-goers are reporting oil spotting on their shoes after walking near the water, particularly around the Pāpāmoa area. This is not unexpected, as wave action remobilises old weathered Rena oil site at Otaiti (Astrolabe). If you re concerned about oil on the beaches, please call Bay of Plenty Regional Council s Pollution Hotline on 0800 884 883. The scientific monitoring undertaken in 2012 and early 2013 is almost ready to be published and reported to the public. We expect this to happen in November. Enjoying the beach We have contracted DOC to undertake a wildlife enhancement programme along the coastline to complement the other work happening in those areas. They are focussing on reducing predators and improving habitats for dotterels and penguins which were affected during the oil spill. Iwi throughout the region have been actively involved right from the outset of this work and are continuing with cultural impact assessments, mauri assessments (the goal of the Rena Recovery Plan is to restore the mauri of the affected environment to its pre-rena state ) and a unique piece of work that is looking to the degree to which traditional Māori knowledge aligns with western science. What s happening with wildlife Wildlife is recovering well from the Rena grounding. Monitoring of little blue penguin colonies on Mount Maunganui, Leisure Island and Rabbit Island have shown a normal breeding season, with many chicks surviving through to fledglings. Some of the oiled penguins bred after treatment and rehabilitation. Monitoring will continue over the next breeding season to identify any long-term effects of oiling on penguin reproduction. Banded dotterel Of the captive NZ dotterels released in late 2011, more than three quarters were alive a year later, with some losses in the first month after release from respiratory disease. Survival rates have returned to normal, and a year later, numbers at the most important sites are similar to before the grounding. The largest change was on Matakana Island following habitat loss at Waikoura Point after winter storms, rather than effects of the Rena grounding. The wildlife programme has also boosted animal pest control projects to protect shore birds along the Bay of Plenty coast. Extra funding has allowed new projects such as Mōtītī rat control and reactivated projects such as the Matakana Island dotterel protection that had been inactive. The programme has also enhanced existing community led pest control projects, such as those on Mauāo, to protect penguins and grey faced petrels.
Operational update from the owner September 2013 Resolve Salvage and Fire is close to clocking up 400 days in New Zealand (of which just over half that time they ve been unable to work out on-site due to weather conditions) to cut down, clean up and make the wreck safe. Significant progress has been achieved on Resolve s primary tasks, including clean-up of the debris field, removal of containers and container content, dive inspections of cargo holds and underwater survey and engineering preparation for the removal of the accommodation block. Divers preparing to dive The reduction of the bow to at least one metre below the lowest astronomical tide was completed last month. Accommodation block Underwater surveying and engineering preparation to remove the accommodation block or house are underway. Removal of the four story block is a significant operation requiring bringing in to town, two new and large crane barges. The RMG 500 crane barge is due to arrive at the end of September, followed by the RMG 1000 and an anchorhandling tug in mid-october. The operation, involving chain-cutting and removal in two sections, is slated to begin in December, although this timeframe is very much weather dependent. Watch a short animation of this major undertaking. Debris removal Meanwhile, debris removal to clean-up the reef between the bow and sunken stern sections continues. To date, 743 tonnes of material has been removed and shipped to shore. Cargo hold four: plastic beads Divers have identified and removed the first of two remaining containers holding plastic beads in cargo hold four. Now waiting on a period of settled weather to investigate the remaining contents on the second container and remove as far as practicable. Cargo holds five-six Findings from the inspection dive surveys of holds five and six are being compiled and will be reported through ongoing Rena Project updates once complete. The primary purpose of these surveys has been to locate and assess the remaining state of the four containers of interest: three holding ferrosilicon (Hold five); one containing copper (Hold six). Once the photographic record is complete, this work stream will have determined whether the four remaining containers of interest and/or their contents are still within the wreck, their condition and the appropriate way of dealing with them.
Cutting down and cleaning up Fore section (bow) reduction - 1,263.09 tonnes Sea bed debris recovery - 743.49 tonnes Non-metallic debris - 91.59 tonnes Cargo hold 4 Debris - 124.28 tonnes Diving in the deep Experienced photographers, Maketū-based Andy Belcher and Aucklander Darryl Torckler have dived to photograph the reef and bow section on Otaiti Reef. Over two days they completed five dives, photographing the Rena wreck, debris fields and surrounding reefs to a maximum depth of 27 metres. We were surprised by the abundance of fish life on and around the Divers prepare on the surface wreck. These included marblefish, black angelfish and kelp fish. The top wreck surfaces were covered in green algae and juvenile seaweeds, they said. Young blue mao mao and sweep were aggregating and frequently feeding on these top surfaces. Large blue mao mao had made their home underneath sections the hull. We swam north from the wreck, up a rocky rise and across a field of debris. On the walls I encountered normal species such as orange, yellow and gray sponges, nudibranchs, chitons, anemones, sea urchins, triplefins, red moki, spotties, black angel fish, sweep, blue mao mao, leather jackets, wrasses and many species of algae, Andy said. As we swam down the drop-off, Rena debris was not evident, except for a chain which disappeared into the depths. It was encrusted with a diverse range of algae and butterfly perch were hovering under it. There is certainly an area of debris, but the marine life on the reef generally seems more prolific now, the divers said. We did dive in a large tomo (vertical shaft) in the reef which has always been popular with divers. It contained no Rena debris and at a depth of 10 metres its vertical rocky walls were adorned with bright yellow and orange sponges and large groups of butterfly perch. On exiting the cave we saw a large school of Spanish mackerel and an even larger school of kahawai. They were also surprised to see that five seals resident on the breaking reef top were completely un-phased by all the salvage activity right beside them, and saw shags diving on to the reef top and relaxing on the mooring buoys. The pair will also dive and photograph the deeper stern section and surrounding debris field. An indent on the reef is now home for kina Blue mao mao cruise past bow structures Fish feed on marine growth on the bow
Butterfly perch and two spot demoiselles on the reef slope Yellow finger sponge Stay up to date with Rena Recovery Do you want to receive this newsletter by email? Go to our website www.renarecovery.org.nz and enter your details on the homepage. We send this newsletter out by email and can add you to our list. Or send an email to info@renarecovery.org.nz to ask to join our mailing list. For more information visit www.renarecovery.org.nz