Cruise ship risks to harbour

Cruise ships in Akaroa Harbour pose a medium or ‘‘at worst, high’’ risk to its ‘‘very high’’ ecological values, a new report for Environment Canterbury (ECan) concludes.

The Cawthron Institute report was written following concerns from the Akaroa community that cruise ships in the harbour might be damaging the sea bed.

Regional harbourmaster Jim Dilley said the findings were that any potential effects from anchors and ship propellers, discharges, fuel spills or introduced unwanted species could be managed.’

These could affect dolphins, sea birds, fishing, the Banks Peninsula marine mammal sanctuary and the harbour’s areas of significant natural value and character.

However, more needed to be done.

‘‘Environment Canterbury will require the cruise industry to provide an independent scientific study during the next 24 months, which we believe will identify exactly what is taking place and will allow us to address any concerns,’’ Dilley said.’

The report considered three cruise ship seasons – 2013-14,

research

2016-17 and 2018-19 – with a total of

243 trips and an increasing number of ship visits from one to sometimes three vessels a day.

About 92 ships are expected to visit Akaroa this season, but in the 2020-21 season, with the opening of the new Lyttelton cruise ship berth, that is expected to fall to about 40 smaller ships in Akaroa Harbour.

The report says ship anchoring and propulsion had ‘‘potential for significant or unacceptable effects’’.

The ‘‘very high’’ ecological values that could be compromised include:

■ The threatened and nationally vulnerable Hector’s dolphin.

■ Threatened seabirds, including the variable oystercatcher, northern royal albatross, pied stilt, white-flippered blue penguin and the yellow-eyed penguin.

■ The customary

Taia¯ pure.

adverse

ecological

fishing Regional harbourmaster Jim Dilley

■ The Banks Peninsula marine mammal sanctuary.

■ Multiple areas of significant natural value and outstanding natural character.

‘‘However, when the ‘likelihood’ of an effect was considered, the ecological risk of the effects assessed were typically ‘medium or low’ and at worst ‘high’, which could be considered ‘manageable using measures to avoid, remedy or mitigate’,’’ the report says.

The highest risk was for direct sea bed disturbance from anchors or propulsion.

Confidence in the data used was low as it relied heavily on expert judgments.

‘‘Confidence could be improved with the provision of site and activity-specific investigations into the actual ecological effects from cruise ships in Akaroa Harbour.’’ the report says.

‘‘Environment Canterbury will require the cruise industry to provide an independent scientific study ...’’