Killer Weed Wins

[mrmoshe]

Killer weed wins

FISHING in Pittwater faces a wipeout after the State Government admitted this week it had given up the fight to eradicate a toxic seaweed infesting the waterway.

And there are fears caulerpa taxifolia could eventually spread to the rest of the Hawkesbury River without serious attempts to control the weed.

Caulerpa, an introduced species, effectively snuffs out native seagrasses, depriving fish of their natural habitat and breeding grounds.

Fishermen, boat owners, green groups and Pittwater Council have been demanding action since the fast-growing weed first appeared at Careel Bay in 2000.

From that initial 1ha infestation, caulerpa now covered at least 100ha, with outbreaks reported at Station Beach and Scotland Island.

Fishing bans at Careel Bay and Station Beach, no-boats mooring zones and warning signs at boat ramps have already been introduced to stop the weed from spreading further.

But Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald told State Parliament it was too hard to get rid of the weed.

``Due to the area of the current infestation and the presence of sensitive seagrasses in parts of the affected area, eradication of caulerpa from Pittwater is not practical,'' he said.

``Furthermore, the available scientific evidence regarding the impacts of caulerpa indicates that the effort and resources required to eradicate caulerpa from NSW is simply not warranted.''

Mr Macdonald said the Government's efforts were directed at limiting caulerpa's spread and it was regularly monitored in Pittwater. But he said scientific evidence had shown caulerpa was not as bad as first thought. ``Research to date has shown no negative impact of caulerpa on native seagrass beds.''

However experts say caulerpa destroys marine life and efforts to stop the weed from spreading are a case of too little too late. Commercial fisherman Keith Sewell, who has trawled Pittwater for more than 40 years, said caulerpa ``spread like cancer''. He blamed the Government for not doing enough to stop caulerpa in the first place.

``Nature has got a way of balancing itself but when you throw in something like caulerpa, it can't handle it,'' he said.

``We've got to watch it (lest it) destroys the whole of the Hawkesbury River system.''

He said Pittwater's fish stocks were under pressure because of the weed.

Stocks at Careel Bay had already been lost and the ban on fishing at Station Beach had forced fishermen to trawl elsewhere in Pittwater, leading to overfishing. This eventually would flow on to recreational angling, he said.

Mr Sewell said caulerpa's growth could reach the stage where boats were unable to navigate through Pittwater.

Fisherman Keith Sewell says caulerpa `spread like cancer'

Edited October 27, 2006 by MallacootaPete

[Flattieman]

I really don't agree with the government's decision on this matter. There has been significant evidence of the impact of Caulerpa taxifolia for at least six years, yet not enough has been done to stop it. Now they're abandoning Pittwater?! The nature of the Caulerpa weed means that by allowing it to continue to spread in Pittwater, we will soon see many breakouts in other estuaries. Very disappointing. Everyone can do their part, however, by being educated about the weed. Here's some ways in which you can avoid adding to the problem (ass suggested by NSW DPI):

- Avoid boating near Caulerpa taxifolia outbreaks. Propellers cut the plant into many fragments that can drift into areas only to grow into new outbreaks.

- Inspect anchors, ropes and chains before leaving an area.

- Inspect fishing equipment; nets, traps and fishing lines before use.

- Inspect dive gear such as wetsuits bags and other equipment before use.

- Collect fragments of Caulerpa you have accidentally picked up. Seal the pieces in a plastic bag and dispose of them in a bin where they can not re-enter a waterway.

- Collect information on where you have seen Caulerpa. An accurate map, size of the outbreak, depth, habitat type (seagrass, bare sand, rocky reef) are important details.

For more information about Caulerpa, you could visit this site: http://www.fisheries.nsw.gov.au/threatened...ontent/caulerpa

Flattieman.

Edited October 28, 2006 by Flattieman

[mrmoshe]

Yes, the Government is showing just how weak they are in not doing anything more

to eradicate this horrible weed.

Surely they can find the resources and funding to stop this menace

before it spreads to other waterways.

Just think if this gets into Sydney Harbour!!

They will then be shamed into not doing enough earlier to halt

the progress of this stuff.

Do something NOW, not wait until it's too late.

Flattieman's post is a good start in that we can all do our little bit to

stop it spreading.

I am just amazed that they have washed their hands of this knowing how

destructive it can be.

Pete.