Marine pests in Kapiti Marine Reserve
Introduction
What is the impact of marine pests on the ecosystem at Kapiti Marine Reserve and how is it changing?Marine pests are species that have been introduced to New Zealand waters by human activities and have the potential to cause significant impacts to the country’s marine environments and resources.
Status: good
The diversity and abundance of marine pests in Kapiti Marine Reserve is currently low, based on ad hoc reporting and anecdotal observations.
Trend: stable
Porirua Harbour (about 40 km south of the marine reserve) contains the marine pest Undaria pinnatafida, an Asian kelp that competes with native seaweeds. Undaria was first observed in New Zealand in Wellington Harbour in 1987 and is now found throughout the country. There is a high chance it will arrive in the marine reserve in the future.
A single specimen of the sea squirt Styela clava was reported in the marine reserve in 2015.
Monitoring
There is no monitoring for marine pests in this marine reserve. MPI carries out a port survey in Wellington Harbour every six months, but this does not include the marine reserve. MPI also maintains a national database of marine pests and has published a marine pest identification guide.
Call MPI on 0800 809 966 and notify DOC via marine@doc.govt.nz if you find any marine pests in the marine reserve.
Reports
- The Porirua harbour and its catchment: a literature summary and review. Report for Porirua and Wellington City Councils 2010.
- Evaluating biological change in New Zealand marine reserves. Pande PhD thesis 2001.
