Didymo Stakeholder Update – September 2010

1 September 2010

Didymo Long Term Management (LTM) Programme

Introduction

In the last year there has been significant progress made within the Didymo programme, as well as changes to staff and membership of the Steering Group. Ranuka Robinson is on parental leave for a year and Jane Bowden has been employed by MAFBNZ to cover the Didymo LTM Coordinator role. Previously Jane was a Check, Clean, Dry advocate with Taranaki Regional Council during the summer of 07/08.

Didymo LTM Steering Group

A combined Steering Group and Check Clean Dry Advisory Group (CCDAG) meeting was held on 16th August. The key focus of the meeting group was to review the results from the 2009/2010 social marketing survey, and to look at the future direction of the programme. Changes to the Steering Group membership in the previous year have seen us welcome Randall Milne of Environment Southland, and Dave Kelly of Environment Canterbury to the committee. Thanks again to outgoing members Neil Deans, Steven Ledington and Kate McArthur for their valuable contributions to the Steering Group.

Didymo LTM Programme Review

Expansion to other freshwater pests
Since 2008 there has been an increasing emphasis within the programme on freshwater pests other than didymo. Many regions have featured local pests alongside didymo in their Check, Clean, Dry messaging, e.g. lagarosiphon, The Steering Group and CCDAG will be working to ensure that the expanded programme continues to strengthen linkages with other national and regional freshwater pest management programmes. This expansion of the programme will be increasingly reflected in programme communications and collateral in the future.

Future of Pest Management
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) is leading the Future of Pest Management Project on behalf of the New Zealand biosecurity system. The project is set up to improve pest management systems to deliver what New Zealand needs for the next 25 years.

While New Zealand's pest management system stacks up well compared with other jurisdictions, further improvements are needed to position the pest management sector to meet future challenges. Central government, local government, Maori, industry and others are working collaboratively to identify these improvements, which will affect future generations. A national plan of action has been endorsed by central and regional government chief executives. One of the key change themes in the plan is 'Acting Collectively'. During the project the Didymo LTM programme was acknowledged as a leading example of successful co-operation and collective action within the pest management system, and provided valuable lessons for designing the pest management systems we need for the future.

The Future of Pest Management programme has identified a number of system improvements that will benefit LTM programmes, including:

  • Integrated toolbox management capacity – for shared access to best practice and tools information;
  • Two way capacity building for effective tāngata whenua involvement and appropriate agency engagement with iwi and hapū; and
  • Increasing the role of, and support for, regional forums and regional coordinators.

We expect the final plan, reflecting feedback received during recent consultation, will be released in November once it has been approved by Cabinet.

Measuring programme success
MAFBNZ has been working with Landcare Research and the Steering Group members to develop a performance measurement framework for the Didymo Long Term Management Programme. We have redefined and clarified the outcomes for the programme and these are now:

Outcomes Didymo Long Term Management Programme

All activities within the programme can now be clearly linked to one or more of the programme outcomes. Regular reporting against these outcomes will be a powerful way to understand the difference the programme is making at a national and regional level and determine where to focus programme effort. Further details will be available in the near future following finalisation of the detailed measures.

Research
Cathy Kilroy of NIWA provided a Didymo research update for the last Steering Group meeting. For more information or access to research updates please contact Jane Bowden. Content items include:

  • Report on session on Didymo, ASLO/NABS annual meeting in New Mexico, June 2010.
  • Didymo in Chile
  • Waitaki research

The Steering Group recently identified the research priorities for didymo. MAFBNZ, NIWA, DOC and ORC are supporting to PhD researchers, Jonathan Bray and Vanessa Hammond, to conduct research that aligns with these priorities. Partners are contributing financial support, information and providing supervision.

As part of his PhD programme with the University of Canterbury Freshwater Ecology Research Group, Jonathan Bray will conduct research into the non-living chemical and physical controls on and effects of Didymo. Yearly reports and updates on completed work will be made available to the Steering Group, with the completed thesis scheduled for July 2013.

Vanessa Hammond is a PhD student with the Department of Zoology, University of Otago. She is conducting research to identify the ecological drivers and constraints on the growth of didymo. Progress reports will be available to the Steering Group, with preliminary results available in July 2011.

Didymo Sampling Update 2010

There was a 29% reduction in the number of didymo samples taken across regions in the first quarter of 2010, compared with the first quarter of 2009. The decrease in sampling most likely reflects the increase in number of Didymo positive waterways and major catchments in the South Island that occurred in 2009. Sampling frequency in the North Island has remained relatively stable

Consistency from 2009 to 2010 indicates regions are following sampling plans. During 2009-2010 State of Environment sampling in Otago, up to 1000 visual checks were made for didymo blooms. A proposed enhancement to the samples database is the addition of a function to record didymo blooms so that over time we can build up a history of observed bloom events in different environments.

Didymo Positive Waterways

The total number of didymo positive waterways is approximately 150 as of 6 September 2010.

Site visit reports and lists can be generated easily with read only access using the Didymo samples database. Access details are listed below:
www.didymosamplesdb.org.nz (offsite link to www.didymosamplesdb.org.nz)
Username: Didymo
Password: didymosamples1

Framework for North Island Didymo Response

This document has been updated to reflect the agreed approach to public communication in the case of a North Island Didymo incursion. This approach means that MAFBNZ will lead the communications and is expected to make the initial announcement of any confirmed North Island didymo find. MAFBNZ will also work closely with regional partners to support effective local communication and liaison. The Minister of Biosecurity will normally play a supporting role, including issuing statements.

Section 52/53 Permissions

The MAFBNZ website provides information about permissions issued under Sections 52 and 53 of the Biosecurity Act. These permissions are required to breed, knowingly communicate, exhibit, multiply, propagate, release, or sell, an unwanted organism.

Over the past year, Section 52 permissions have been granted to Fish and Game for routine fish transfers, and to the Cawthron Institute for research purposes.

Check Clean Dry

Regional Advocacy Funding and Support
Last summer's Regional Advocacy Reports have all been put up on didymo.net. Regional funding has been confirmed for this summer's programme. Application details will be sent to regional representatives on 14 October 2010.

We will again be producing the e-newsletter CCD Chronicles. This will be distributed through regions, with the expectation that they get distributed to advocates working over summer. CCD Chronicles will include new initiatives being used in some regions that may be able to be replicated; examples of positive work around the regions, as well as messages that the research has shown still need more emphasis.

If you have any ideas or initiatives that you would like included in CCD Chronicles please email CCDmarketing@maf.govt.nz

2010 Check Clean Dry Campaign Survey
The 2010 Check, Clean, Dry (CCD) campaign survey was conducted using a broader range of audience groups than in previous years. In addition to traditional audience lists the survey targeted new groups of waterway users via online 'meeting places', and drew responses from 2400 people. The following diagram shows that awareness of didymo remains high amongst respondents, but also that awareness of other freshwater pests is relatively high. Full results are available on didymo.net.

Awareness of freshwater pests

CCD Social Marketing Annual Plan 2010/11
The results of the 2009/10 audience survey will be used to develop the Check Clean Dry annual work plan for the next year.

Key messages that will be encouraged to all audiences include;

  • CCD every time, everywhere
  • Treat every waterway as though it has freshwater pests, not only if you see a sign. Freshwater pests such as didymo are often invisible to the naked eye
  • Freshwater pests/didymo are not only South Island problems. CCD if in the South or North Island
  • Highlight CCD only needed between waterways
  • Messages that state that it is not acceptable not to CCD
  • CCD is about all freshwater pests, not only didymo
    • Mountain bikers
    • Multi sport racing/training
    • Trampers

Key MAFBNZ staff involved in the Didymo Programme

Jane Bowden is an Adviser in the Pest Management Group of MAFBNZ, and coordinates the didymo long term management programme. Jane is the first point of contact for all enquiries relating to the long term management programme.
Contact Details: (04) 894 0281 or didymo@maf.govt.nz

Matthew Thorpe is a Communications and Marketing Advisor in the MAFBNZ Communications and Information Services Directorate. Matthew is the first point of contact for information about the Check, Clean, Dry social marketing programme and the Check, Clean, Dry Advisory Group.
Contact Details: (04) 894 0276 or Matthew.Thorpe@maf.govt.nz

For more information about didymo visit our website at www.biosecurity.govt.nz (offsite link to www.biosecurity.govt.nz)

To report an exotic pest or disease, call the MAF Emergency Pest and Disease Hotline: 0800 80 99 66