Urgent clean-up of pest seaweed underway at Apollo Bay
1 September 2009
Divers are scouring Apollo Bay Harbour on Victoria’s West coast today following the discovery of a pest species of seaweed there.
Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) Marine Policy Officer John Barker said the clean up follows a survey of Apollo Bay Harbour which confirmed the presence of the noxious pest seaweed Undaria pinnatifida (also known as Japanese Kelp).
“Now that this pest has been found DSE’s priority is to remove all traces of the seaweed as quickly as possible to reduce the risk to the surrounding marine environment,” Mr Barker said.
“Undaria is a Declared Noxious Marine Pest under the Fisheries Act 1995."
“Undaria has the capacity to rapidly colonise reefs and can have significant impacts on reef ecosystems."
“DSE has conducted extensive surveys of the area after a sample of the seaweed was identified within the harbour."
“Our initial concern was that the Undaria or Japanese Kelp seaweed may have spread from the harbour into neighbouring marine protected areas but the surveys have shown that the pest species has not spread out of the Apollo Bay harbour."
“While Undaria is already widespread within Port Phillip Bay it hasn’t previously been reported in open waters to the west of Victoria and DSE is doing everything possible to prevent it spreading.”
The clean up is in line with an action plan prepared by the Victorian Government submitted to the National Consultative Committee for Introduced Marine Pest Emergencies (CCIMPE).
Please contact the customer service centre on 136 186 or see marine pests for further information.
