New Zealand - beach closed as dogs and sea life die.

[kiwibird]

http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/08/07/1245c16d120e
Sea off-limits at Auckland's eastern beaches

Updated at 7:42pm on 7 August 2009

The sea at Auckland's eastern beaches remains off-limits this weekend as organisations await test results to discover what is behind the mysterious death of dogs and sea life.

The Auckland Regional Public Health Service has told people not to swim or eat seafood from east coast and Hauraki Gulf beaches - and it says children should not go to the beach at all.

It says it has been passing the message on to sports and recreation groups ringing to ask about the warning before the weekend.

The Ministry of Agricultur and Forestry, the Auckland Regional Council and specialist marine research company The Cawthron Institute say their tests results will be ready next week.

It is believed toxic algae is to blame, but MAF's initial tests were negative.

Copyright ? 2009 Radio New Zealand

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Zealand - beach closed as dogs and sea life die.

Source: http://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=103563&fm=newsmain,narts

Mystery killer spreads to Great Barrier

A charter boat operator has found a dead penguin washed up on Great Barrier Island, water tests due back today

7 August 2009
A charter boat operator has found a dead penguin on Great Barrier Island.

Brett Fleetwood made the discovery at Cape Barrier. He says it suggests whatever has killed two dogs and wildlife may be further afield than Auckland's Hauraki Gulf beaches.

Mr Fleetwood says it is not normal to come across dead penguins and birds in the ocean. He brought the dead penguin back to Auckland and got in touch with MAF's pest and disease control unit.

"We spoke to them and they told us that they had enough penguins and shags and seagulls and birds to look at. Obviously the problem we have around Auckland is not just in the Hauraki Gulf, it's Great Barrier and everywhere else."

Auckland Regional Public Health Service is expecting results today from preliminary water testing. It is also hoping for an update into tests for algae species.

Results of MAF Biosecurity tests on the dogs and dead pilchards are due back on Monday.

 

[Shiloh]

Re: New Zealand - beach closed as dogs and sea life die.

Source: http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/auckland-beach-mystery-may-have-been-solved-2908501

Auckland beach mystery may have been solved
Published: 2:51PM Wednesday August 12, 2009

Scientists are confident they have uncovered the mystery illness that has killed two dogs and left others sick along the shores of Auckland's Hauraki Gulf.

Unfortunately, they still don't know why so much bird and marine life is washing up dead on east coast beaches.

The creature scientists think killed two Auckland dogs is a sea slug that cruises rocks and reefs and is highly toxic.

Scientists at the Cawthron Institute tested dog vomit and say it has the same compound carried by the sea slugs.

But it's not just dogs authorities are worried about. Over the past few months dead penguins, jellyfish, birds and fish have also been washing onto Auckland's eastern shoreline, none of which eat the slugs.

"It seems like there are a number of different causes for what's been happening in the past few months," says Mike Lee of Auckland Regional Council.

The eight agencies involved in solving the mystery met on Wednesday. They have tested a number of algae from the Hauraki Gulf and say so far that results are inconclusive.

Attending the meeting were representatives from ARC, Biosecurity New Zealand, the Department of Conservation, the Auckland Regional Public Health Service and local councils.

People are understandably concerned. Aucklander Greg Cawdron has noticed an unusual substance along the tideline at his local beach.

"Not in the 12 years I've lived here, I've never seen anything, and we're down here all the time at this beach especially during the summer and we've never seen anything like that stuff," says Cawdon.

The same public health warnings remain in place but the regional authority says concern is mounting that pollution from dairy farming, going into the Firth of Thames, is affecting the gulf.

"That much nutrient going into the gulf is bound to cause some aberrational affects in terms of weird and wonderful toxic algae responses," says Lee.

It is yet another theory as authorities warn the real cause may never be found.