This seaweed is a bit of a worry

[nzoomed]

Could easily spread across NZ.
Has been confined to only great barrier for some time.
https://newsroom.co.nz/2023/12/12/nzs-mo...raki-gulf/

[Lilith7]

I hope they have the sense to contain & perhaps destroy it.

[nzoomed]

Being underwater, it's many multitudes more difficult to not only contain, but try and find the rest of it.
Likely been here for a while before it's discovery too

[Lilith7]

Being underwater,  it's many multitudes more difficult to not only contain, but try and find the rest of it.
Likely been here for a while before it's discovery too

Yep, probably has - might make jobs for some, locating & destroying it - possibly we could send the odd politician out to deal with it.

[nzoomed]

The biggest issue is its looking for a needle in a haystack.
Even if they eradicate it from the barrier, there is a good chance little pieces have broken off and spread elsewhere

[Oh_hunnihunni]

With warming seas and changing currents we can expect uninvited visitors of all varieties. Every living thing just wants the perfect home...

[harm_less]

With warming seas and changing currents we can expect uninvited visitors of all varieties. Every living thing just wants the perfect home...

That includes the Freshwater Gold Clam and a bunch of other organisms listed here: https://www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity/exot...gold-clam/

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I think the determination to keep NZ pure is pissing into the wind... Unless we are putting serious investment into measures arising from climate change, then funding programmes like exotics eradication is just a complete waste of money.

But try telling DoC that...

[Lilith7]

It may be that, in the future our climate becomes too extreme to grow food outside & it will have to be grown under cover. And perhaps our seas will become too polluted with stuff like this or actual rubbish we've gaily chucked out, & we might need to somehow create small seas inland away from the pollution & perhaps under cover so we can still have fish.

I don't envy our descendants...

[harm_less]

I think the determination to keep NZ pure is pissing into the wind... Unless we are putting serious investment into measures arising from climate change, then funding programmes like exotics eradication is just a complete waste of money.

But try telling DoC that...

One example of that line of thought is the risk of disease vector mosquito varieties surviving in New Zealand. All it takes is a pool of water in an imported item containing mosquito larvae and they're in NZ. Previously the varieties that carry the likes of malaria or dengue fever haven't been able to survive in our climate but as temperatures rise including winter chilling becoming less severe our natural buffer to such invasion is eroded.

The same scenario applies to plants, aquatic organisms and even fungi (myrtle rust?). Climate change will throw up all sorts of issues many of which we may not have even contemplated yet.

[nzoomed]

MPI probably need more funding in this area too.
I dont know how it arrived, but untreated ballast water could be an issue.
Definitely come in from an overseas ship

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Along with the dangerous visitors, we will also provide a more hospitable environment for good ones. It isn't all a doomsday scenario.

[Lilith7]

Along with the dangerous visitors, we will also provide a more hospitable environment for good ones. It isn't all a doomsday scenario.

Bananas, for example. I like bananas & they can be grown here now. Up north,anyway - & pineapples.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed...ow-bananas

[nzoomed]

There is even a seller on Facebook marketplace selling coconut palms!
Says they survive in a greenhouse quite well

[Lilith7]

Perhaps with time, some use can be found for the seaweed - paper or fabric making or compost or who knows what we might come up with eventually.

[nzoomed]

Probably will end up introducing another fish species that eats it if it becomes a major issue.

[harm_less]

Probably will end up introducing another fish species that eats it if it becomes a major issue.

Dabbling with ecosystems in that way is more likely to result in downstream problems such as the reduced snapper population has contributed to (caused) the likes of kina barrens.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Dabbling with eco systems is what climate change is doing. Just desserts I'm thinking...

And there are still people who think deep sea mining is a good idea! When will we learn...

[Lilith7]

Probably will end up introducing another fish species that eats it if it becomes a major issue.

Dabbling with ecosystems in that way is more likely to result in downstream problems such as the reduced snapper population has contributed to (caused) the likes of kina barrens.

Everything will have advantages & disadvantages, even were we to check everything as carefully as possible there might still be things we weren't aware of to cause future problems.
There was a time whan plastic was thought to be a wonderful thing because we didn't know what was ahead..

[nzoomed]

It might be the only solution to introduce something to put back the balance.
These days they do a ton of research and study before just releasing an organism into the environment.
It may also end up being a case where the benefits outweigh the risks