{"id":64896,"date":"2025-10-08T06:19:06","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T06:19:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/64896\/"},"modified":"2025-10-08T06:19:06","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T06:19:06","slug":"why-exotic-caulerpa-is-dying-back-and-why-experts-say-it-still-matters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/64896\/","title":{"rendered":"Why exotic caulerpa is dying back \u2014 and why experts say it still matters"},"content":{"rendered":"

A University of Auckland study, commissioned by Biosecurity NZ in 2024\/25, examined environmental conditions that allow exotic caulerpa to thrive and its ecological and cultural impacts. <\/p>\n

The recently released research found caulerpa can function as a secondary habitat and its growth can be limited by seabed type, ocean currents and sea urchin grazing. <\/p>\n

However, the scientists warned that if allowed to form dense mats \u2013 as seen overseas \u2013 the seaweed could still pose serious risks. Monitoring and detection<\/a> were essential to guide targeted management, including culturally grounded responses led by mana whenua. <\/p>\n

To explore the cultural impact of caulerpa, the university scientists partnered with Ng\u0101ti Manuhiri Settlement Trust which presented its findings as a short film, A Fight for our Whakapapa: Exotic Caulerpa \u2013 the Seafloor Coloniser<\/a>. <\/p>\n

The film documents mana whenua responses to caulerpa incursions with seven M\u0101ori leaders discussing their lived experiences at the forefront of those battles. <\/p>\n

Each speaks about the threat caulerpa poses to M\u0101ori cultural traditions, and their frustration with what they call the Government\u2019s slow, fragmented and underfunded response to date compared to mana-whenua-led efforts.<\/p>\n

Martin Cleave (Te Rarawa, Ng\u0101tiwai, Tainui), a member of the national ministerial advisory group on caulerpa, warned the invasive weed could cover the North Island\u2019s east coast within the next four years. <\/p>\n

\u201cFour years ago, it didn\u2019t exist in New Zealand … It\u2019s happened that fast,\u201d<\/a> he said. <\/p>\n

\"MartinMartin Cleave (Te Rarawa, Ngatiwai, Tainui) in a scene from the film. <\/p>\n

Cleave said Government funding for caulerpa research and control of $30million \u201cis not taking it seriously\u201d. <\/p>\n

Ng\u0101ti Manuhiri chief executive Nicola Rata-MacDonald<\/a> said the Government\u2019s slow response had allowed the seaweed to spread. When a new infestation was discovered at Hauturu-o-Toi (Little Barrier Island) during filming in May, the iwi mobilised within 48 hours. <\/p>\n

\u201cThe Crown says, \u2018rapid response\u2019 and it\u2019s weeks away,\u201d Rata-MacDonald said. <\/p>\n

She noted iwi were also quick to bring in expert consultants from overseas. <\/p>\n

Others among the group had also led their own responses in their rohe. Blair Anderson (Ng\u0101ti P\u0101oa) said the idea of having to live with caulerpa was \u201cjust not acceptable\u201d. \u201cWe\u2019re being asked to live without our taonga species essentially, to live without the opportunity for our kids to go down the beach and fish.\u201d <\/p>\n

Herearoha Skipper (Ng\u0101ti Tamater\u0101, Ng\u0101ti P\u0101oa) said iwi had formed a united front to address caulerpa. <\/p>\n

\u201cOn the best of days, we can be the worst of enemies \u2013 but there\u2019s only one moana.\u201d <\/p>\n

She said Government agencies withdrew when funding ran out but iwi weren\u2019t going anywhere. <\/p>\n

\"NgatiNgati Manuhiri Settlement Trust chief executive Nicola Rata-MacDonald shares her views in the film.<\/p>\n

Despite Government predictions that only limited caulerpa control might be possible, the leaders were confident eradication was achievable and pointed to their success at North Auckland\u2019s Omaha Cove. <\/p>\n

Bay of Islands\u2019 Vicki Heta (Ng\u0101ti Kuta) said it could get better. <\/p>\n

\u201cThere are a lot of clever people in Aotearoa and beyond.\u201d <\/p>\n

Biosecurity NZ director pest manager John Walsh said $24m allocated from 2021\u20132024 for a co-ordinated response involving iwi, councils, and communities<\/a> was the largest marine biosecurity investment in New Zealand history. <\/p>\n

A further $10.98m is earmarked for 2025\/26, including $6.2m to Northland Regional Council for the large-scale removal and development of a new submersible dredge planer.<\/p>\n

\u201cManaging and removing exotic caulerpa is a massive challenge \u2013 it spreads as tiny fragments and has not been successfully eradicated anywhere in the world,\u201d Walsh said. <\/p>\n

Further study was planned to understand the weed\u2019s recent dieback, he said. <\/p>\n

A national Exotic Caulerpa Strategy, co-chaired by Rata-MacDonald and Biosecurity NZ\u2019s Mike Inglis, has been presented to the Biosecurity Minister and is expected to be released publicly soon. <\/p>\n

Sarah Curtis is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate, focusing on a wide range of issues. She has nearly 20 years\u2019 experience in journalism, most of which she spent court reporting in Gisborne and on the East Coast.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A University of Auckland study, commissioned by Biosecurity NZ in 2024\/25, examined environmental conditions that allow exotic caulerpa…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":64897,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[9092,95,1863,5837,52588,803,42834,52590,2955,5658,13994,185,702,7494,23126,2720,9097,111,43,139,69,52589,13910,1518,5659,9433,45553,418,6100,131,1555,6123,4276,80],"class_list":["post-64896","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-zealand","tag-against","tag-and","tag-back","tag-battle","tag-caulerpa","tag-continue","tag-dying","tag-ecological","tag-exotic","tag-experts","tag-feared","tag-is","tag-it","tag-less","tag-matters","tag-mori","tag-must","tag-new-zealand","tag-news","tag-newzealand","tag-nz","tag-pose","tag-previously","tag-research","tag-say","tag-scientists","tag-seaweed","tag-shows","tag-still","tag-than","tag-threat","tag-while","tag-why","tag-zealand"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64896","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64896"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64896\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/64897"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64896"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64896"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64896"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}