Port of Auckland has announced it is in the final stages of developing an innovative in-port biofouling solution to clean niche areas of ships without compromising environmental safety

New technology developed in the fight against exotic caulerpa also has useful applications for marinas and structure owners. 

Our mission this summer is to get everyone out there who are on and in the water, more familiar with what marine pests look like and how to report anything suspicious.

New research undertaken in the Northern Hemisphere is showing that Clavelina oblonga has the potential there to have more negative impacts on the marine ecosystems and industry, particularly aquaculture, than initially thought.

In this article, we unpack some of the most common myths about marine pests – from whether they’re “just a natural part of evolution” to whether cleaning your boat really makes a difference – and explain why the truth matters for the future health of our marine environment.

A recap on the first year of Cawthron’s MBIE-funded research programme to accelerate effective marine pest management in Aotearoa

From mowing lawns to protecting our coastlines: how Jack Bowick became the Bay of Plenty’s newest marine biosecurity ambassador.

Experts say they would rather get 1000 false alarms than miss the one that is right. 

The New Zealand Marine Sciences Society Conference was an opportunity to share learnings from our work in the marine biosecurity space, to learn from nearly 200 colleagues

We’re on the same page as our mates at Biosecurity New Zealand — and we’re stoked to share their latest video! Fishing legend Matt Watson talks boaties through what to look out for and how to protect our boating paradise from unwanted pests.

With boat owners in Northland reporting that some fouling species are increasingly resistant to antifoul, the New Zealand Marina Operators Association (NZMOA) wants more choice in the market.

Work continues on a shared approach to managing marine pests across the upper North Island, as the four northernmost regions join forces to make it easier for boaties and operators to protect our waters.

Seagrass, a flowering marine plant commonly found in shallow harbours up and down the country, is a species with huge benefit to our local ecosystem - and can be a natural defence against pest species.

That’s one of the questions we get regularly asked about marine pest management. It’s a fair question — and wouldn’t it be great if the solution was that simple?

Lurking quietly in sheltered harbours and bays, Styela clava – the clubbed tunicate – has made itself at home in our waters. Tough-skinned and leathery, this sea squirt makes its home on hard surfaces like wharf piles, mooring lines, and aquaculture gear. 

A cruiser was surprised - and worried - when he pulled up a substantial amount of seaweed that looked like it could be exotic caulerpa in Paradise Bay at Urupukapuka.

Last year over 700 boat owners who have boats moored in marinas around Aotearoa New Zealand responded to a survey about hull cleaning and the great news is that most were concerned about the spread of marine pests, the harm they can do, and felt that boaters have responsibility to play their part. 

Around the country, successful responses to detections of Mediterranean fanworm, an Unwanted Organism and an Notifiable Organism under the Biosecurity Act 1993, underline the importance of vigilant surveillance and prompt response.

Kiwi fishing personality Matt Watson is sharing the marine biosecurity “protect our paradise” message with his viewers this autumn.

Following the conclusion of the highly successful Marine Biosecurity Toolbox research programme, Cawthron Institute has received funding from the 2024 MBIE Endeavour Fund to tackle the next step in the biosecurity continuum: eradication and management.