Boaties banned from marina

A popular private marina in Lake Taupo¯ has banned people from launching boats there if they have previously been in parts of the Waikato River infested with the invasive gold clam.

Kinloch Marina Ltd has 142 berths plus boat launching facilities. It is managed by a board which has now banned boats that have previously been in the 200km of Waikato River known to have the invasive clams — an area stretching from Lake Maraetai Landing to Tuakau.

The gold clams were most recently discovered just a few kilometres from Lake Taupo¯, at the Lake Taupo¯ Aqua Park next to the Waikato River, just a few kilometres downstream of Huka Falls.

The find has seen extra testing carried out by Biosecurity NZ and Tu¯wharetoa Ma¯ori Trust Board inspectors around Lake Taupo¯.

Kinloch Marina manager John Kelly said they were concerned that boaties were not doing everything they could to prevent the spread of the invasive species, which displaces native species and clogs up infrastructure.

“It is really about protecting the lake environment and raising awareness that people should be taking the issue more seriously than they are and follow through with all the correct cleaning and stand down periods that are required to make sure the clam is not going to be existent when the boat goes in the water.”

He said the ban was the “first port of call” but stage two for boaties was a declaration document that people could sign to declare that they had gone through the correct cleaning procedures and that would be followed by a physical inspection.

He said they were relying on people being honest, to a certain extent, but the measures should help focus boat owners on the seriousness.

“We sort of get the feeling after talking to people over summer and after talking to DOC and talking with the Taupo¯ harbourmaster . . . it is not top of mind for people and there is potentially some lapse attitudes around compliance.

“We really want to push home that that is not okay. We want everyone to really address the problem and do as much as they can to prevent anything getting in really.”

He said the marina had been inspected two or three times for the presence of gold clams but they were clean, so far.