Developing a Marine Pest Pathways Plan for Fiordland Richard - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Developing a Marine Pest Pathways Plan for Fiordland Richard Bowman, Shaun Cunningham and Rebecca McLeod

R. Kinsey DOC

Is Fiordland vulnerable to marine pests?

The Undaria Elimination Response Sunday Cove, Dusky Sound Undaria eradication effort • Fiordland was pest-free until April 2010 • Discovery of Undaria triggered a joint-agency response • 80+ week-long dive efforts • Costly (~$1M to date) • Time consuming • Total elimination not yet achieved Fiordland is vulnerable to marine pests!

Fiordland Marine Guardians (FMG) • Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Management Act 2005 • Created the Fiordland Marine Area • Gave formal recognition to the FMG as an advisory body • Threat: invasive species

If vessels have clean hulls, niche areas and gear, they will not transport marine pests What can we do about this?

Marine Pathway Plans • Pathway Management is a proactive approach • Amendment to Biosecurity Act in 2012 • Focus on the transport agents: vessels and gear Development of the Fiordland Marine Pathway Plan • Given ES go ahead March 2014 • Partnership between ES, the Fiordland Marine Guardians, MPI & DOC. • Focus: “to ensure all vessels and gear entering or residing in Fiordland waters are clean and do not carry pests”

Fiordland Marine Pathway Plan Important Steps – 1. Steering Group formed – FMG cross agency/stakeholder 2. Set Objectives – to prevent marine pests from establishing in the Fiordland Marine Area. 3. Identify risks (i.e., vessels, gear, behaviors, source ports) 4. Establish clean vessel standards 5. Develop mechanisms to ensure operators maintain the standards 6. Key stakeholders consulted informally 7. Official consultation 8. Implementation

Identify the Risks

Establish Clean Vessel Standards Standard for vessels set as: • Level of Fouling = 2: slime layer and goose barnacles Standard for gear set as: • Visibly clean, free of sediment and preferably dry Standard for residual seawater set as: • Seawater has been treated and/or is visibly clean & free of sediment

Pathways Plan Rules • Any vessel must meet the clean vessel, gear and residual seawater standards. • Methods – It is strongly recommended that vessel operators must have a valid Fiordland Clean Vessel Pass when in the Fiordland Marine Area(FMA) • Declaration of awareness of rules • Provides important management information – Surveillance and inspection – as and when/targeted and ad hoc – Authorised persons will have powers to act. – Breaches of rules – will instigate • Notice of Direction – to exit FMA as soon as reasonably practicable and safe. • Not to return until rules are met. • In situ cleaning at operators expense (<20m length) an option • Offences - liable to fines from $5000 (indiv.)- $15000(corp.)

Existing rules under the RPMS • Rules under the current Regional Pest Management Strategy will still apply to 9 designated marine pests. • Rules ban possession, sale, offer for sale, propagation, transport or release of a pest. • Can result in Notice of Direction and/or prosecution. • NB - RPMS rules reactive cf proactive pathways rules.

Consult Key Stakeholders • The goal is to stop marine pests getting into the FMA – win/win • The Pathway Plan is regarded as the best way to ensure this • The Fiordland Marine Pathway Plan needs to be workable in order to be effective  Inclusion of operators during development through FMG  Informal consultation with key stakeholders • updates and associated feedback (eg. Six updates circulated to 600+ contacts from July 2014 - January 2016) • targeted meetings (recreational boaties, CRA 8, comm. fishers, tourist operators)  Formal consultation – notification/submissions/hearings (ES)

Formal Consultation • Steering group provided draft Plan to ES on behalf of the Fiordland Marine Pathways Plan partners – ES, DOC, MPI, FMG • ES will be asked to consider and if satisfied ‘make the plan’ operative – through the following statutory process - – Public notification – Call for submissions – Hearings – Decisions – Appeals • Date of implementation – possibly mid 2016

Implementation of the Plan • Public awareness/Communications Plan • Clean Vessel Pass • Surveillance/Compliance/Enforcement – Annual work programme – a partnership between ES, DOC, MPI and FMG – Led by Environment Southland • Shared costs in cash and kind • Collaborative use of resources • Bluff Vessel Survey

Programme Costs – Initial Set up Fiordland Marine Pathways Plan - Work Programme - Initial Costing Who How much Unit rates Cost Direct costs Direct costs Direct costs Direct Costs Hours $/hr ES MPI DOC Navy Implementation (Year 1) Public Awareness/Communication Compile Data base of vessels/operators ES 70 50 $3,500 Prepare information for CVP etc ES 35 50 $1,750 Publicity/distribute information ES 35 50 $1,750 Develop Clean Vessel Pass Design pro forma etc ES 15 50 $750 Design-create CVP website/interface ES 70 50 $3,500 User Acceptance Testing ES 70 50 $3,500 Launch ES 35 50 $1,750 Operate/administer (0.1 FTE) ES 150 50 $7,500 $24,000 Surveillance/compliance/enforcement Create SOPs ES 35 50 $1,750 Train/authorise staff 70 50 $3,500 Undertake Surveys X 4/ann 280 50 $14,000 DOC support $5,000 Fisheries support $5,000 Navy support $5,000 Bluff Vessel Survey (MPI) $80,000 Reporting ES 70 50 $3,500 $22,750 Total Set up and operating Cost by Agency $46,750 $85,000 $5,000 $5,000 Total Set up and operating Cost by all Agencies $141,750

Ongoing Work Programme Costs Maintenance - Year 2 onward Undertake Surveys X 4/ann 280 50 $14,000 Operate/administer CVP (0.1 FTE) ES 150 50 $7,500 DOC support $5,000 Fisheries support $5,000 Navy support $5,000 Bluff Vessel Survey (MPI) MPI $80,000 Reporting ES 70 50 $3,500 Total Annual operating cost by Agency $25,000 $85,000 $5,000 $5,000 Total Annual operating cost by all Agencies $120,000

Benefits of the Plan • Significantly reduced risk of new marine pest incursions • Protect Fiordland’s iconic marine ecosystem including biodiversity, economic, social and cultural values. – Pathways Plan - Cost Benefit Analysis • Cost to implement plan ~$120K pa • Cost of one Undaria incursion response so far $1M+ – MPI CBA study for Undaria incursion response 2010 • NPV of elimination - $9.5B, CB ratio 44,500:1 – Cawthron 2009 – Fiordland Operational Plan • “measures that address all vessels entering Fiordland generate a much higher net benefit than do measures to control pests in nearby ports”

How might the Plan affect vessel owner/operators? • For those who maintain good vessel cleaning practices, the changes required to meet the standards will be minimal > keep hull and niche areas clean > conduct simple routines to ensure gear is clean • Apply annually for a free Fiordland Clean Vessel Pass > applications can be made by website, e-mail, fax or letter > applicants guided through a simple process > user friendly info provided about cleaning methods, antifouling, cleaning facilities and hull inspections

Where to from here? 1. Council notified the Proposed Pathways Plan in March 2016. 2. Around 12 submissions received. 3. A Hearing will be held if required. 4. The final proposal will be submitted to Council to make the plan operative – mid 2016. 5. Implementation of the Plan within a collaborative partnership between ES, DOC, MPI and the FMG in 2016-17. 6. This will commence with a major national communication/ public awareness campaign.