Fiordland Marine Biosecurity

Fiordland's marine environment is an international treasure with unique but fragile marine ecosystems. It is vital this area is protected from the threat posed by introduced marine life. When marine species establish outside of their native locations, some can cause irreversible damage in the new area.

Marine pests can overrun natural environments, displace native species, harm the fishing and tourism industries and even in extreme cases affect human health. In short, they can seriously damage the things you value.

Those operating moored boats have a role to play in protecting Fiordland by taking a few simple precautions before entering the Fiords.

1. Ensure your vessel's hull and marine equipment is clean and free of fouling
2. Make sure you have a good, thorough and functioning antifoul coating
3. Clean and air-dry any marine equipment to be used in Fiordland waters e.g. ropes, pots, fishing gear, kayaks

Full information about vessel cleaning and marine biosecurity.

Fiordland-specific boating education resource (11846 KB)

Fiordland Marine Biosecurity Partnership

MAF partners with the Department of Conservation (DOC), Ministry of Fisheries (now MAF), Ministry for the Environment (MfE), Environment Southland and the Fiordland Marine Guardians (the Guardians) in a programme of work to achieve marine biosecurity protection.

The work programme is based on a Fiordland Marine Biosecurity Strategic Plan 2009/10-2013/14 (1818 KB) (the Strategic Plan).

Work is underway to develop an Operational Plan to set out steps to achieving the goals set out in the Strategic Plan. 

Under this Operational Plan, most effort will be directed to addressing the ways marine risk organisms can be transported into Fiordland, with supporting measures around surveillance (looking out for marine pests), agency co-ordination, and communications for education and behaviour change.

Operationally, Environment Southland have developed a register for vessel owners intending to take moored vessels into the Fiordland Marine Area. The online register has been established to help monitor boat movements in this most sensitive environment, and enable biosecurity compliance checks on hull maintenance and antifouling. Boaties intending to visit Fiordland can register their journey at: Environment Southland Vessel Intention Register .

Under contract to MAF, the Cawthron Institute has undertaken some research to assess the effects of household cleaners for the treatment of marine pests. A copy of the full report is available from MAF Techinical Papers webpage. Specific cleaning guidance on how to clean marine gear and equipment (e.g. fishing, diving gear, nets, pots, ropes, anchors) and non-moored craft (e.g. kayaks) and other equipment prior to going to Fiordland, can be found here (571 KB).

MAF, DOC and Environment Southland have developed a Joint-agency marine biosecurity response agreement (1784 KB). The Agreement provides guidance over how the agencies will respond to the detection of marine risk organisms in Fiordland. On a practical level, the response process is currently being tested following the discovery of the invasive Asian kelp Undaria pinnatifida (Undaria) in the remote Sunday Cove in Fiordland.

Undaria in Fiordland

In April 2010 a single mature Undaria plant was found on a line mooring a barge to the shoreline in the remote Sunday Cove in Breaksea Sound. Subsequent investigations have found moderately low numbers of plants on the mooring line and the seafloor in the area. It is thought, however, that undaria is not well established in the area.

Undaria is an highly invasive seaweed that rapidly overruns native species, altering marine ecosystems.

MAF, Environment Southland (Southland Regional Council), and DOC have joined forces to try and eliminate Undaria from Sunday Cove.

Page last updated: 21 December 2011