Top of the South Council’s Marine Biosecurity Operational Plan

Actual work completed in 2017/2018

Version 1.0

4 December 2018

Prepared for: Top of the South Marine Biosecurity Partnership

By The Lawless Edge Ltd

Table of Contents

1

1 Introduction................................................................................................................. 3

1.1 Purpose of the joint Operational Plan ...................................................................... 3

1.2 Parties to the Operational Plan .................................................................................. 3

1.2.1 Legislative ............................................................................................................... 3

1.2.2 Supporting Parties ................................................................................................. 4

2. Operational Plan Components ..................................................................................... 5

3. TOS Marine Biosecurity Activity Plan ......................................................................... 11

Appendix 1 – Maps .............................................................................................................. 13

TOSMBP summer work 2017/2018 ...................................................................................... 17

1 Introduction In 2017 the members of the TOS Marine Biosecurity partnership documented their full range of actions to suppress Sabella spallanzanii in a joint Operational Plan. The current report completes the process for 2017/2018 by recording progress against programme.

1.1 Purpose of the joint Operational Plan

Although each Council delivered services, including the implementation of a SSMP individually, the joint Operational Plan was prepared to align the activities of each individual Council in the TOS, and to ensure that all parties operate within the guiding principles of the Top of the South Marine Biosecurity Strategic Plan1. In additional, the Ministry for Primary Industries engaged in joint operations with the Councils supporting Sabella responses. The single Operational Plan also outlined the work programme components to be delivered, by whom, and when to ensure both Council priorities and SSMP objectives are met.

1.2 Parties to the Operational Plan

1.2.1 Legislative Tasman District Council, Nelson City Council and Marlborough District Council are all “regional councils” with respect to the roles outlined within the Pest Management Plan of Action2, a document endorsed by chief executives of all crown and regional government agencies involved in biosecurity. Within this document, prepared and endorsed in 2011, the role of regional councils with respect to pests in the marine biosecurity is outlined as (an extract):

Type Circumstances

Lead intervention, decision maker responsible for bringing parties with the necessary powers, functions and resources together

Reason for Role

Population management (species-led)

Pest already in New Zealand and there has been a decision not to eradicate or contain nationally

Pests affecting public goods, and either not previously in the region or established, but tools to manage are available.

Regional council to coordinate joint decision making with Crown agencies and interested parties (depending on the nature of the pest).

Accountable for regional public interest and has regional capacity to act, but multiple interests and beneficiaries will likely be involved.

Pathway/vector Risk to any national or regional Regional Councils Have regional

1 http://www.marinebiosecurity.co.nz/downloads/2170631/Summary+of+Strategy.pdf

2 http://www.mpi.govt.nz/document-vault/7087

management value associated with intra-regional movement of vectors (for example, of structures, equipment and vessels).

capacity and powers to act in the public interest

Risk to any national or regional value associated with development of marinas, wharves, jetties and moorings and the ongoing maintenance of such facilities.

Have powers under the Resource Management Act (for example, can include conditions in resource consents).

Risk to any national or regional value associated with dumping of organic material from vessels (within the 12 nautical mile limit

Administer the Resource Management (Marine Pollution) Regulations 1998

In addition to fulfilling roles outlined within the Pest Management National Plan of Action, the Councils concurrently declared SSMP’s for Sabella in accordance with the Biosecurity Act 1993. As a result, any declarations or other legislative requirements must be carried out by these parties. The Councils along with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) are also funding members, of the Top of the South Marine Biosecurity Partnership (TOSMBP). Putting all this together, each Council and the Ministry for Primary Industries are key parties in ensuring the standing roles and the additional requirement of the SSMP are implemented both within their region and across the Top of the South.

1.2.2 Supporting Parties As a result of the Marine Biosecurity advocacy of the TOSMBP has raised the profile of marine pests in the TOS. As a result numerous other parties either under the wider partnership banner or with an interest in the prevention of marine pest impacts have had supporting roles. These roles may be business as usual for some parties but it all contributes to the implementation of one or more of the components outlined within the Operational Plan. Where appropriate, these supporting parties were specifically identified.

2. Operational Plan Components

Note – the costs outlined for Component 2 and 3 directly relate to the calendar of activities outlined in Section 3.

Component Output(s)

Directly relates

to

implementation

of the Small

Scale

Management

Programme for

Sabella

Direct Cost ($)

Results Tasman

District

Council

Nelson City

Council

Marlborough

District Council

Ministry for

Primary

Industries

1. Funding party and

Committee Member

of the TOSMBP

Regional coordination of

the Partnership and the

subsequent forum

No Proposed

17/18

$36,380

Actual 17/18

$41,380

Tasman

District

Council

contributed

to the TOS

contract at

the agreed

rate and also

provided an

additional

$5,000 was

put toward a

jointly

funded

project

delivered by

Cawthron to

investigate

Proposed

17/18

$36,380

Actual

17/18

$41,380

Nelson City

Council

contributed

to the TOS

contract at

the agreed

rate and

also

provided an

additional

$5,000

toward a

jointly

funded

project

delivered by

Cawthron to

Proposed 17/18

$36,380

Actual 17/18

$41,380

MDC fulfilled the

role of TOS

Contract Manager

in 2017/18 and

provided $36,380

of funding toward

funding the

coordination

contract.

An additional

$5,000 was put

toward a jointly

funded project

delivered by

Cawthron to

investigate the use

of eDNA to detect

Proposed

17/18

$36,380

Actual 17/18

$36,380

TOSMBP

Coordinator

reports all

programmed

work

completed

including

inspection of

540 vessels

and 540

structures

with zero

fanworm

located.

This

indicates

that

fanworm

suppression

in nodes is

effective.

Awareness and

Engagement

No

Advice and

Intelligence/Information

gathering

Yes

The provision of

information &

intelligence

directly relate

to the

objectives of

the SSMP’s

Delivery of a Summer

Surveillance and Survey

Project

Yes

The surveillance

outputs directly

relates to the

objectives of

the SSMP’s

the use of

eDNA to

detect

Sabella

spallanzanii

investigate

the use of

eDNA to

detect

Sabella

spallanzanii

Sabella

spallanzanii.

2. Management and

surveillance for

Sabella at locations

where detections

have been made

Dive surveys including

removal

Yes

The

management

outputs directly

relates to the

objectives of

the SSMP’s

Direct

Council cost

See activity

plan

Proposed

17/18

$36,380

Actual 17/18

$6,380

As the

previous

round of

clearance

work

occurred in

June 2017

(the

2016/2017

financial

year) the

main

clearance

work for

2017/2018

year was

programmed

for autumn

2018.

However

weather

Direct

Council cost

See activity

plan

Proposed

17/18

$25,000

Actual

17/18

$18,900

Repeated

previous

years

delimitation

survey in

Nelson

Marina using

contracted

services of

Diving

Services NZ

Ltd. Work

carried out

in June

2018.

Direct Council cost

See activity plan

Proposed 17/18

$80,000

Actual 17/18

$71,372.61

Comprehensive

combined

management and

surveillance

activities were

undertaken on two

occasions in

2017/18. In

November/Dec/Jan

and again in April

2018. This was

carried out using

the contracted

services of Diving

Services NZ Ltd.

Additionally, a

SeaDrone 2.0

underwater ROV

was procured to

assist staff

undertaking rapid

inspections.

Direct MPI

cost

See activity

plan

Actual 17/18

TDC support

$3,490

Actual 17/18

NCC support

$11,844

Actual 17/18

MDC support

$37,384

conditions

prevented a

full survey of

the port area

being

undertaken

(cyclones

Gita and

Fehi) and

work was

restricted to

the highest

risk areas.

A full survey

is

programmed

for

September

2018

3. Additional regional

marine pest

surveillance

- For Sabella and

any other new to

region species

Dive surveys Yes

The surveillance

outputs directly

relates to the

objectives of

the SSMP’s

Direct

Council cost

See activity

plan

Proposed

17/18

$18,000

Actual

17/18

$4,788

Delimitation

survey

undertaken

by Diving

Services NZ

Ltd

following

discovery of

Sabella on

vessel at

swing

mooring.

4. Administration of the

SSMP

- Management of

Authorised Persons

- Reporting

Internal Council outputs Yes

Indirect cost

within

existing

budgets

No actions

using powers

under the

Biosecurity

Act 1993

and the

SSMP were

necessary in

2017/18.

No actions using

powers under the

Biosecurity Act

1993 and the SSMP

were necessary in

2017/18.

5. Response to reports

of Sabella on vessels

or in the environment

Investigations, Dive

inspections,

Enforcement

proceedings

Yes

The outputs of

work related to

responses

directly relates

to the

objectives of

the SSMP’s

Indirect cost

within

existing

budgets

+ $4,650

(one-off

toward

Fabdock

project -

paid in

16/17)

Cost not

included

below

There were

also some

costs toward

the

preparation

of a Resource

Consent to

discharge sea

water

treated with

chlorine used

in the

encapsulation

process.

Indirect cost

within

existing

budgets

Actual

17/18

$6,166

Contribution

for Fabdock

deployment

and

equipment

purchased

by Tasman

District

Council

Indirect cost

within existing

budgets

Actual 17/18

$4,650

MDC facilitated the

purchase of a 20m

Fabdock to be

stationed in the

TOS for use as a

response tool.

There were also

some costs toward

the preparation of

a Resource Consent

to discharge sea

water treated with

chlorine used in

the encapsulation

process.

Actual 17/18

$0

($25,00

contribution

provided in

16/17)

6. Passive surveillance Reports of Sabella or

other marine pests

received from the

public, industry or other

persons.

Yes

The reports

related to

passive

surveillance

directly relates

to the

objectives of

the SSMP’s

Indirect cost

within

existing

budgets

Indirect cost

within

existing

budgets

Indirect cost

within existing

budgets

7. Direct advocacy and

communication

regarding the SSMP

Communications

material produced

Yes Indirect cost

within

existing

budgets

(corporate)

Indirect cost

within

existing

budgets

(corporate)

Indirect cost

within existing

budgets

(corporate)

17/18 Costs $32,330 $71,234 $117,402.61 $89.098

3. TOS Marine Biosecurity Activity Plan

Month Target Method Management/Surveillance Delivered by Estimated works cost ($)

Results

June

July

August

September Port Underwood

Okiwi Bay

Dive Survey Surveillance Dive contractor $10,000 Not delivered at this time

October Haven (Nelson) Dive Survey Management Dive contractor $25,000

(50% Council, 50% MPI)

Not delivered at this time

Port Nelson

Nelson swing moorings

Dive Survey Surveillance Dive contractor $9,000 Not delivered at this time

November Tarakohe Dive Survey Management Dive contractor $34,000

(50% Council, 50% MPI)

December Picton Marina

Waikawa Marina & Bay

Dive Survey Management Dive contractor $30,000

(50% Council, 50% MPI)

Delivered, excluding Havelock

marina but including Port

Underwood (from

September)

Total cost = $31,500

Picton Port area

Picton swing moorings

Shakespeare Bay

Havelock Marina?

Surveillance Dive contractor $20,000

January Queen Charlotte Snorkel survey Surveillance TOSMBP Contractor Within Completed

Sound

Pelorus Sound

Abel Tasman

TOSMBP Contract

for 540 vessels and 540 structures.

Total cost = $54,435

February

March Tarakohe Dive Survey Management Dive contractor $34,000

(50% Council, 50% MPI)

April Picton Marina

Waikawa Marina

Waikawa Bay

Dive Survey Management Dive contractor $30,000

(50% Council, 50% MPI)

Delivered, excluding Havelock marina

Total cost = $45,675

Picton Port area

Picton swing moorings

Shakespeare Bay

Havelock Marina?

Surveillance Dive contractor $20,000

May Haven (Nelson) Dive Survey Management Dive contractor $25,000

(50% Council, 50% MPI)

Delivered (in June) Total cost $18,900

Port Nelson

Nelson swing moorings

Dive Survey Surveillance Dive contractor $9,000

June

Appendix 1 – Maps

Nelson Haven Sabella detections 2017/18 (search area marked within yellow lines; red dot first find location 2013;

no Sabella found in 2017/18)

TOSMBP summer work 2017/2018