BIOSECURITY - Only half the picture?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by valhalla360

Ablative paint typically doesn't require removal, so the quick pressure wash is the extent (and I yell at the guy if he gets too aggressive as it's wasting paint).



Sanding/stripping hard bottom paint has required dust collection and tarping as long as we've had big boats.

I can tell you to this day on in the last 20 years in five marinas in three countries , my anti foul standings , scraping and loose bits are nicely embedded in the surrounding ground. Not to mention the new antifouling decorating my kids hair.

[Tetepare]

Originally Posted by LakeSuperior

So just considering copper, can the pulses of copper runoff from a marina elevate the copper concentrations in the surrounding seawater sufficiently to be detrimental to marine plants and animals? Especially considering tides and currents?

Is there a body of research on this topic? Also recognize that copper is essential for life and there is a DC level dissolved copper in sea water.

I'm really interested. We here hear rumblings about copper is to be eliminated but haven't seen it yet. Rumors that it's bad for the environment, that it kills invertebrates. But as I'd indicated antifouling is far from the worst of our marine ecological problems.

Any way, this is my first attempt to figure out the answer. A quick search indicates that it's not the copper, it's the other chemicals. There are though references, but not the actual paper, concerning copper.

One thing I did note quickly is some "sources" are commercial fronts for anti-fouling paint alternatives, so they need to be suspect. And, some papers aren't peer reviewed, which in my research field is considered imperative.

Anway, here's my search with links to various references in case anyone else is so inclined to research: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=effect+of+...t=brave&ia=web

[valhalla360]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I can tell you to this day on in the last 20 years in five marinas in three countries , my anti foul standings , scraping and loose bits are nicely embedded in the surrounding ground. Not to mention the new antifouling decorating my kids hair.

I don't know that all marinas enforce the rules but at least in the USA, it's in most marina rule lists as far back as I can recall.

Probably a CYA for many...if caught, they can say you broke the rules. Others are very strict about it. But certainly not a new idea.

[RaymondR]

I just went back to the OP and read the reference. One could infer from it that NZ is rather unique in that every port and bay has it's own community of creatures which do not mix with those in the next bay or port and could be considered harmful if intermixed.

It's my understanding that bio-regions are more normally associated with climatic or subsea topological variations and are generally not strictly isolated from each other locally.

Is NZ unique in coastline characteristics or is this just another example of the craziness which appears to have overtaken a formerly very sensible population?

[fxykty]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

I just went back to the OP and read the reference. One could infer from it that NZ is rather unique in that every port and bay has it's own community of creatures which do not mix with those in the next bay or port and could be considered harmful if intermixed.

It's my understanding that bio-regions are more normally associated with climatic or subsea topological variations and are generally not strictly isolated from each other locally.

Is NZ unique in coastline characteristics or is this just another example of the craziness which appears to have overtaken a formerly very sensible population?

One of the problems that other regions are trying to protect themselves from is the Auckland region’s Mediterranean Fanworm https://marinebiosecurity.niwa.co.nz...-spallanzanii/, though it’s likely too late as coastal shipping has transferred it to pretty much every port. As an example, the Bay of Islands Marina in Opua requires out of area boats to have recent anti fouling or very recent pressure washing: https://www.bayofislandsmarina.co.nz...-marine-pests/.

[wholybee]

Originally Posted by fxykty

One of the problems that other regions are trying to protect themselves from is the Auckland region’s Mediterranean Fanworm https://marinebiosecurity.niwa.co.nz...-spallanzanii/, though it’s likely too late as coastal shipping has transferred it to pretty much every port. As an example, the Bay of Islands Marina in Opua requires out of area boats to have recent anti fouling or very recent pressure washing: https://www.bayofislandsmarina.co.nz...-marine-pests/.

Yes, I was about to post of this very thing. I was in Opua in 2019, and they were trying to control it, and seemed to be having some success (very surprising).

Boats that were arriving had to have recent antifoul, and haul out for a pressure wash on arrival, or allow an inspection to show it was clean. Cleaning in the water was not allowed, and "Barnicle Police" regularly would dive on all the boats in the marina and fine and/or force boats to haul out for a pressure wash if they were not clean. Somehow, I got lucky, but I know of one boat that had to haul for a pressure wash 3 times in one season-which was probably very irregular.

So, while much of the world is implementing rules on types of paint to use, and some wanting a pressure wash instead of in water cleaning because of chemicals, etc. I think NZ is the only place where they have divers regularly police boats to keep them clean, and the pressure wash is required to keep foreign organisms out of the water.

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by Bowdrie

I've often considered that if I could afford to have a boat built to my specs that it would be well worth having it built in Cu-Ni.

It's a wonderful material.



https://www.copper.org/applications/...boat_hull.html

Thanks for that link Bowdrie, fascinating and well presented history of a Cu-Ni sailboat.
I did some work on a 30’ monel sailboat, (pretty rough looking welds) but again , no antifouling

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

I just went back to the OP and read the reference. One could infer from it that NZ is rather unique in that every port and bay has it's own community of creatures which do not mix with those in the next bay or port and could be considered harmful if intermixed.

It's my understanding that bio-regions are more normally associated with climatic or subsea topological variations and are generally not strictly isolated from each other locally.

Is NZ unique in coastline characteristics or is this just another example of the craziness which appears to have overtaken a formerly very sensible population?

I don’t see it as “crazy “ , no pollutants should be allowed in water end of story.

[RaymondR]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

I don’t see it as “crazy “ , no pollutants should be allowed in water end of story.

Do you use a washing machine to wash your clothes?

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by RaymondR

Do you use a washing machine to wash your clothes?

Yes , and my home town has tertiary waste processing , you can actually drink the sewerage !!!

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by goboatingnow

Yes , and my home town has tertiary waste processing , you can actually drink the sewerage !!!

Okay and on the boat? or does that go over the side? Is it a problem? not really.

Pete

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Okay and on the boat? or does that go over the side? Is it a problem? not really.



Pete

I’m of the view that all water discharge of whatever nature should be pollution free. We need to return all bodies of water to their natural state.

Is this aspirational , of course. , but I agree with legislative and environmental measures that progress to that end. I applaud the NZ authorities.

Do I dump if allowed yes , will I stop if not allowed yes. The amount is irelevant.

[TeddyDiver]

The problem is mostly the mixed bureaucracy following new and half baked regulations, not the environmental safety itself. Same with insurances.. Better to stay out of marinas IMHO..

[Tupaia]

Originally Posted by TeddyDiver

The problem is mostly the mixed bureaucracy following new and half baked regulations, not the environmental safety itself. Same with insurances.. Better to stay out of marinas IMHO..

Boats are an easy and visible target insignificant when compared to the less visible environmentally damaging but economically essential farming pollution caused by nitrate run-off and offshore drilling. Priorities become skewed when politicians get involved.

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Tupaia

Boats are an easy and visible target

It's so much easier to focus on the motes and ignore the beams.
Like the line by "Captain Redleg" in the movie "The Outlaw Josey Wales".
"Ain't no end to doing good".