Exotic Caulerpa Community Information Forum and Tech Talks

Purpose of the Forum

Exotic Caulerpa Tech Talks are a series of presentations by experts on exotic Caulerpa surveillance and management tools and techniques. This series is designed to keep iwi, community members, agencies, and anyone interested informed on the latest developments in managing this highly invasive seaweed.

Initiated by the Hauraki Gulf Forum and Auckland Council, this hui is an opportunity to share information among Hauraki Gulf communities responding to exotic Caulerpa infestations and those proactively engaged in surveying for and mitigating against exotic Caulerpa.

Presentations are recorded and made available on the Revive Our Gulf exotic Caulerpa project page.

We look forward to seeing you online soon!
Noho ora mai,
Katina Conomos & Graham Allen
The Mussel Reef Restoration Trust
T: +64 226 579 868

Next Tech Talk: Shining a Light on Exotic Caulerpa - 4 September 

When aquarium specialist Craig Thorburn first caught the “Caulerpa bug,” he teamed up with Professor Andrew Jeffs from the University of Auckland to test whether UV-C irradiation could destroy the invasive seaweed.

Under the banner of Advanced Aquarium Technologies Ltd, Craig and his partners, with funding support from MPI, scaled their lab experiment into a much larger light array, capable of treating extensive areas of exotic Caulerpa along transect-like paths.

Following consultation with Mana Whenua (Ngāti Manuhiri, Ngāti Pāoa, and Ngāti Kuta), development and trials were carried out in the waters of Kawau, Waiheke, and Omakiwi Cove. The most recent treatments in the intertidal and shallow waters of Omakiwi Cove in the Bay of Islands have delivered promising results.

Now, with field trials complete, Craig and his team will share their kōrero:

How their UV-C tool has performed in real-world conditions
The operational challenges they’ve faced
What lies ahead in its development journey
Join us online, Thursday 4 September at 10:30 AM to hear how a spark of innovation has grown into one of the most promising tools in the fight against exotic Caulerpa.

👉 Register Here

There’s been a lot happening since we last gathered. Several big reports have landed, and two large-scale treatment technologies (UV-C and the Rehabitat chlorine enclosure) have been put to the test. The University of Auckland has also been undertaking other mahi on ecological impacts.
 
While detections of exotic caulerpa are still coming in, we’re encouraged by the rapid, coordinated response at Hauturu / Little Barrier Island – a great example of what’s possible when Mana Whenua, communities, and agencies work together.
 
This session will be co-hosted by Revive Our Gulf and Biosecurity New Zealand and will include updates and insights from across the motu. Specifically, it will feature a talk from NIWA on the biomass reduction reports and the NIWA impact study.
 
If you've got something to add to the agenda or an update to share, please get in touch – we’d love to hear from you.

Save the dates for these future community 2025 meetings:

• To be confirmed.

Exotic Caulerpa Talks 

This series brings together experts to share insights on surveillance, control, and management tools for exotic caulerpa. This series is designed to keep iwi, community members, agencies, and anyone interested informed on the latest developments in managing this highly invasive seaweed.

For more information

Presentations are recorded and made available on the Revive Our Gulf exotic Caulerpa project page.

Please forward any suggestions for meeting items to the facilitators.
Contacts: katina.conomos@reviveourgulf.org.nz & graham.allen@reviveourgulf.org.nz