The Green Room
God how disappointing and even deceitful that the members of the National Party failed to live up to the pre-election promises and hype they gave about saving these animals.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10587499
its high time that the national party be congratulated on the speed with which they removed their centrist masks and renewed their headlong plunge into the abyss. and they really spread the love, undermining biodiversity at all levels, and topping it of with a classic climate ostrich misfire.
I don't mind them alone plunging head-first into the abyss, but it's taking us and the environment with them that is so wrong...
I assume that the existing marine reserves remain as they are?
Existing marine reserves - yes.
Future one????
Unfortunately I think it's a case of watch this space Anne. We'll keep you posted.
Well, the public has 16 days to show their support for the marine reserves that have been mooted for the South Island's west coast -
Just as an aside, if you ever get-up close and personal with a marine mammal here's how to identify what you're looking at -
http://www.nzgeographic.co.nz/interactive/whale/whale.htm
Thanks national geographic!
I think Auckland Anne has a point. National supported marine mammals pre election `yes of course we do' but the first opportunity to start a discussion on them by sending a Bill to a Select Committee they simply took and ideological stance and voted it down. Yes there are mechanisms in existing law to protect dolphins... they are just not being used - or worse are open to challenge on spurious grounds...
This ranks up with the plans national has to privatise the high country in the South Island. It is reaching the point where every Forest & Bird member should be fronting up to their local (National) MP and asking them for explanations
To be honest, the Wellington-based staff don't seem to be having much success in fronting up or even being given the opportunity to, try as they will, and, as Pelorusjack says, it would appear that the most productive way is for us all out in the branches to visit our local MPs. I understand that F&B is putting together a document for members about what they can see and talk to their local MPs about. It hasn't been published yet, but there is an existing document "Briefing to Ministers" or similar it's called, that is available.
http://www.forestandbird.org.nz/what-we-do/publications/media-releases/forest-bird-post-election-briefing
Kia ora koutou!
I was just wondering if anybody knows the laws when it comes to charter fishermen? Do they have to buy quota? They are not recreational fishermen after all! They catch a staggering amount of Hapuku each year up here in the Bay of islands!
GB_Hapuka013.jpg (24.4 KB, 3 downloads) 2 years old Pretty sure charter boats are classed as recreational fishermen as most of them on board are so, and stick to the limits per person.
wow thats a bigun.
Kukupa- Thanks so much, please try again- correct email is tessabrosnan@gmail.com
http://www.oceanaware.info/Marine_Dog_Deaths.html
tess this site will give you an insight into how the country is polluting and poioning the oceans and land looking bad internationally as mass poisoners .
Except that there is absolutely no link to the dog deaths and any man-made toxins, and that it was proved WEEKS ago that it was Tetrodotoxin (TTX) from sea slugs that washed up on shore.
Ruby, i appreciate your enthusiasm on this forum, but sometimes you're way off beam.
this is not so not proven where is it proven.
The last i heard they are still uncertain and that is a very good site for marine issues tess
there were no less than eight agencies involved in determining the dog deaths cause...
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10596575
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10590940
As i said piawkawaka still a lot of uncertainty ,not way of the beam.
mhttp://www.arphs.govt.nz/Media_Releases/20090828_HaurakiGulf.asp
The obvious question not asked on Campbell Live tonight (21 September) about the Little Blue Penguins on Rangitoto was "Now that the rats have been eliminated from these islands by the Pest Off rat control programme, what will be the results for penguins and native forest birds?"
The answer is that there will be a dramatic difference. Some of you may know that as well as being Chair of the Auckland Regional Council, Mike Lee has had a passion for the Hauraki Gulf Islands and for his efforts to reduce the impact of rats on birdlife on these islands. Most other people pointed the finger at stoatsas the key predator of native birds. Mike, correctly, showed great foresight and pointed out that rats have had an even greater devastating impact on all native forest birds on both the mainland and on islands. He has spearheaded efforts to clear the islands of rats starting with Tiri Tiri Matangi . It was great that the August 2009 issue of Forest and Bird acknowledged Mike's efforts starting the campaign to get pests off what is now literally the "Treasure Island" of TiriTiri Matangi.
I first met Mike 25 years ago and he was then determined to re-establish bellbirds on Waiheke. It was unsuccessful because everyone underestimated the impact of rat predation. But Mike learned from this failure and has gone on with the ARC to create some of New Zealand's great nature sanctuaries.
I understand that with the removal of rats from islands in the Gulf there has been an explosion in the number of Little Blue Penguins and of all the other native birds. This is exactly what will happen on Rangitoto
In summary then:
The "one off" rat elimation operation on Rangitoto resulted in removal of these dreadful predators.
It also resulted in tested shellfish showing no sign of the anticoagulant rat bait residue.
2 of 5 penguins autopsied showed minute traces of rat poison but this was in concentrations so low that it was improbable that it had any causative effect on the penguin deaths.
"Pest Off" is used all through the warehouses on the Auckland waterfront to control rats in these storehouses of foods and shipping goods. There is a legal requirement on all warehouse owners to do this. Pest Off, sometimes called Talon is the control method of choice.
It is far more likely that the source of the minor traces of Pest Off (brodifacoum) in the 2 penguins rather than from the DOC operation on distant Rangitoto was instead was much more local to the North Shore. The residual rat bait identified in dead penguins on the North Shore is much more likely to came from dead or dying rats and mice falling down under gravity into the Waitemata Harbour waters beneath these warehouses and then being eaten by fish or penguins.
Good science always requires you to have an untreated "control".
When the 5 penguins found dead on the North Shore beach were tested in Australia for a range of chemicals, it was acknowledged to be a "first". This testing had not been done before. If this is the case, there is a high probability that if my "wharf warehose poisoned mice and rat theory" is valid, tests even before the Rangitoto pest control operations went ahead should have been done. These may well have revealed minute quantities of rat poison in some of the penguins that had been swimming around the wharfs eating anything that took their fancy.
The test of this theory would have been to have had a control penguin population that you had done chemical tests on even before the Rangitoto operation went ahead....but that would have required extraordinary foresight and we all know how little of that there is around.
It might be worth from now on testing any dead penguins found on the North Shore over the coming years.
If fish or penguins catching mice seems all too farfetched to some of you, remember that here in the South Island beech forests a celebrated "fly" used for trout fishing is a mouse. These are widely sold in the fishing gear shops. The trout love eating mice and trout grow fat on mice in the beech mast years caught as they swim across the beech forest rivers and streams.
I think it is marvellous that as a result of the Rangitoto Island pest control operation by DOC this winter, Auckland City now has an pest free 2,000+hectare island on its doorstep. This will become one of the world's great nature reserves.
I thankyou for another couple of pages of ranting in support of mass poisoning on a dangerously obscene level.
we all appreciate the birds on these islands need to live pest free so no need for the propaganda .
But we all know this could have been done more skillfully and ethically and less indiscriminately ,sad that you never question how these poisons are used ,just jump down the throats of any one who has the temerity to question there use .
I am a freind of the earth and dont like poisons thrown about all over the planet willy nilly.
when used for rat and mice control these poisons capable of causing secondary poisoning and other side effects are used indoors in concrete warehouses etc to stop poisoned animals getting into the foodchain .
As for the trout in the south island and anywhere eating mice yes this is a common occurence by monster trout that normally canabalise there own specieces and have grown to large by becoming freaks of nature probably next on your mad poisoning list .
Its not just the few dead penguins that have been found its the ones that have not been found ,good science would have seen this coming pretty obvious really .
To all of you who love wildlife the planet oceans and the enviroment there is another way .POISONING is not the quick fix solution a price will have to be paid soewhere there allways is ,never be afraid to question and find the truth and save the planet from the poisoners ,let sense prevail in the age of the foolish poisoners.
So all 'n' all the Penguins died of starvation and now that Motutapu is pest free the remaining ones can breed safely.
Great job doc!
No all in all a lot more poison thrown over the planet when there is no need to .
Oh and a few dead penguins and other creatures not proven as they where not tested !!properly or at all .
another nail in the coffin of the planet by morons yeh bloddy great!!
Hey hey hey. Now we're morons as well?
And it can be, and is in fact, argued that there is a need.
Just cos someone disagrees with you, doesn't mean that it's all right to keep insulting them. Haven't you seen the ads on TV about not drinking alcohol? Everyone has a right to think what they do. We might disagree with each other, but insulting people's not a good way to react.
morons eh if the cap fits wear it ,your buddys started the swearing calling people DICKS tawaki and kukupa,
moronic behaviour as described in mass poisoning =morons if you want to include yourself fine!!i wont argue with you .
funny how i get reprimanded for that minor thing when the poison supporters say what they want with impunity !
just cause someone dissagrees with you no need to treat them differntly .
why anne is saying a moronic action is comitted by morons not refering to you of course worse than your mates calling someone aDICK !! unless of course that someone is not toeing the party line and stands up for the rights of free speech and the planet a bit of bullying going on here.
I am sorry that i dont agree with poisoning the planet and just cause you own this site does not mean you are right in your support of the poisoners policies .
Are you forgetting who argued to get this thread started up again when it was removed because of the abuse? Me and Tawaki pretty much.
And just cos one person uses the word 'dick' isn't a good reason for you to sink to that level too.
For the last time - there is no party line - you're implying we aren't capable of making up our own minds. Or is what you're saying that anti-1080 folk are all following a party line too? I don't think so. You've all made up your own minds, surely...
.
You is correct i very nearly stooped to there level.
I think anyone who is in an organiztion whatever group the pros or antis, and agrees with decisions that are very debateable and never admidts any potential obvious dangers could be termed toeing the party line ,we cant all be right all of the time.
But we can all become blinkered on both sides .
And as i said, i dont see why you did nt reprimand the others for foul language,but yet so easily jump on me,for refering to persons who poison the planet as m#####.
Anyhow its not right that any pengiuns should have died
Or dolphins or fish or dogs.
I'd like to know why the penguins starve.That was never explained very clearly.
It's sort of a pity that everyone was so busy looking for brodificoum in them that other chemicals like from stormwater or agricultural runoff weren't looked at.
Oh, by the way, Auckland isn't the rodent-plagued rats' playground that it sounds. Not really. Well, not furry be-whiskered rats that walk on four feet that is... Next time I see a bunch of rats coming down the street I'll throw my hot late over them and beat them off with my shades and NBR and then run over them with my 4WD....
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