REPEL THE INVADERS

HELP STOP THE SPREAD OF MARINE PESTS

CONTACT US The coastal waters around Kangaroo Biosecurity discovered the first marine Island are home to an abundance pests on Kangaroo Island. Write to us: 35 Dauncey Street of marine life, rich fishing grounds, Kingscote SA 5223 spectacular scuba diving and These two pests – the European fan snorkelling, and worm ( spallanzanii) and the Phone us: breathtaking European sea ( (08) 8553 4300 Marine pests are backdrops for “z squirt Fax us: boating a major threat to (Ciona intestinalis) Fax (08) 8553 4399 and tourism activities. marine biological – were discovered at Kingscote and Look at our website: But these unique diversity. American River, www.kinrm.sa.gov.au Kangaroo Island attractions are now z “ and removed. Email us: under threat from marine pests. 8 [email protected] In 2008 joint surveillance by the Now is the time for all of us to take Kangaroo Island Natural Resources steps to stop these pests establishing PROJECT TEAM colonies that could seriously damage Martine Kinloch Management (KI NRM) Board and Coast and Marine Program Primary Industries and Resources unique marine areas around Kangaroo Manager South Australia (PIRSA) Marine Island. Daniel Brock The introduction of marine pest to new regions is a major threat to Coast and Marine marine biological diversity. In South Australia, 38 species of marine plants Biodiversity Officer and not native to Australian waters have been introduced by human Kym Lashmar activities. Coast and Marine Technical Marine pests can be transported from place to place (or translocated) by a Officer variety of means. Some are carried by ships in their ballast water; some attach themselves to the hulls of boats or to anchors, ropes or chains; others can be translocated through aquaculture, the aquarium trade, fishing operations, the petroleum industry or by other water users. Once established in a new environment, marine pests can displace populations of native plants and animals by out-competing them for food and safe habitat, and can overrun natural ecosystems and disrupt food chains by preying on and consuming native species.

Below left: Northern Pacific seastars(Asterias amurensis). Image S. Speight Below right: European Sea Squirt (Ciona intestinalis). Image E. Burgers How can you help? If you are planning to sail your boat to Kangaroo This will ensure that cooling water taken up into the Aquarium caulerpa Caulerpa taxifolia Island, it is recommended that you check and clean it engine from inside your port of origin is completely Appearance Fronds flattened laterally Impacts before setting out (see page 4). If this is not possible, flushed out, preventing pests from being released in (2D) Smothers native algae, then take advantage of our clean, pollution-free waters Kangaroo Island waters. seagrasses and sessile Bright green and check your boat thoroughly as soon as you arrive invertebrate colonies. Establish using SCUBA diving or snorkelling gear. Learn to identify the five potentially dangerous marine Small side branchlets vast beds degrading fish pests detailed in this booklet. If you see any of these attach directly opposite habitats and reducing species If you see anything suspicious on your boat, contact pests in locations on Kangaroo Island, report them one another diversity. the KI NRM Board’s Coast and Marine Program on immediately to FISHWATCH on 1800 065 522 Frond length 15 cm in Interesting facts (08) 8553 4300 and they will advise you what to do (24 hours) and the KI NRM Board on 8553 4300. shallows but up to 2.8 m in Produce a toxin which tastes deep water. unpleasant to most fish species. Survive for up to 2 next. weeks out of the water. Regenerates from fragments as Note the location of the suspicious creature and take Known locations in SA small as 2 mm. Marine pest eggs and larvae can be picked up photos. If possible collect a sample and freeze it in a Port River and North Haven Marina and transported between ports and harbours by plastic bag to enable PIRSA to confirm your sighting. Similar native species: Caulerpa scalpelliformis Habitat Fern-like fronds boat engines and ballast water systems. To avoid For more information please visit: www.pir.sa.gov.au/ Can grow on a wide variety of substrates including rock, sand, mud and seagrass meadows. Found in Branchlets alternate on left and transporting pests, idle your boat motor for five fisheries/fishwatch right minutes in open water when you first leave a port. sheltered and exposed waters, usually in depths of 3–35 m. Grows up to 200 mm in length Found in shallow waters to 30 m

European or green shore crab Carcinus maenas Appearance European sea squirt Ciona intestinalis Appearance Body pale yellow/green, Impacts Smooth green Impacts soft and translucent, up to Large colonies can out-compete to brown shell with pale Consume a wide variety of 15 cm long native species for food and orange underside native species. Outcompete habitat. Cause nuisance fouling native crab species for food Inhalant siphon (opening) 5 spines on either side of of aquaculture facilities. and habitat. Implicated in with 8 lobes eyes on front of shell the decline of native shellfish Exhalent siphon with 6 Interesting facts No swimming paddles populations. lobes Produce long strings of eggs Up to 8 cm wide that often tangle with nearby Interesting facts Lobes often with yellow adults and produce dense colonies. Feed on suspended Females can produce up to 600,000 eggs each year. lines around siphons Known locations in SA matter in water, such as and organic matter. Port River and the Coorong Can dig pits up to 15 cm deep in order to dig out large clams. Known locations in SA Similar native species: Ascidia sydneiensis Habitat Port Adelaide and Outer Harbor Similar native species: Thalamita sima Dirty, translucent grey body with uneven, wrinkled Prefers bays and estuaries but can be found in all surface Green/yellow shell Habitat types of habitat. Lives in enclosed and semi-protected marine bays and Up to 200 mm in length 5 spines on either side of eyes estuaries. Found in dense aggregations on rocks and Found in shallow waters to 30 m Swimming paddles on back pair artificial structures. of legs

Northern Pacific seastar Asterias amurensis Appearance European fan worm Sabella spallanzanii Appearance Flexible tube up to 40 cm Impacts 5 arms with pointed, Impacts long Forms vast, dense colonies that upturning tips Responsible for killing large numbers of many native Fan colour varies from consume large amounts of food Numerous small spines with species. Can have major white to orange to brown leaving very little for native sharp edges along top of species. impacts on aquaculture, Fan has brightly banded arms particularly and colours Interesting facts Up to 40–50 cm in diameter farms. Feeding tentacles form All worms start off as males but spiralled fan change into females as they get Yellow/orange with purple/ Interesting facts older. Can completely red markings and yellow Capable of both sexual and Known locations in SA regenerate from severed body sections. underneath asexual reproduction. Females can produce up to Outer Harbor, Glenelg and Marina St Vincent 25 million eggs a year. In Port Philip Bay the population Known locations in SA grew from 2 to 165 million in just 5 years. Habitat Similar native species: Sabellastarte sp. Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, and Tasmania; not yet in SA Harbours and bays sheltered from direct wave action. Feeding tentacles not spiralled Similar native species: Uniophora granifera Habitat Readily colonises artificial hard surfaces, particularly Banded white/purple/orange/brown Orange with purple spines vertical surfaces. Can also be found in extensive beds Found in coastal areas protected from wave action. Shorter tube up to 5 cm 5 arms with blunted tips on the sea floor. Usually on soft sediment but also on artificial Usually solitary not in colonies structures and rocky reefs. Up to 12 cm in diameter Found in shallow waters to 30 m PAGE 2 PAGE 3 How should I clean my boat? The most important preventative action is one that boat Keep anchors and chains clean. Try scrubbing them off owners normally do anyway, i.e. regularly clean the hull as the anchor is lifted or on arrival at your port of origin. and apply antifouling paint. Use the most appropriate, If this is difficult, clean off mud and weed in the open legally approved, antifouling paint and apply in sufficient sea during the voyage before redeploying the anchor and coats to be effective until the next application. Apply chain in a new location. Keep the chain locker clean and extra antifouling paint to niche areas such as rudder free of mud and weed, which can regenerate in a new trailing edges, keels, especially bilge keels where turbulent location. flow accelerates leaching, and if possible to bow thruster casings, stern tube outlets and propellers. Thoroughly clean your boat before beginning an international or interstate voyage. Avoid discharging Avoid scrubbing off underwater hull surfaces in water. bilge-water in a different location from where it was Wherever possible do so onshore at recognised locations taken up. Oily bilge-water must never be discharged into with residue collection facilities. Do not allow antifouling water. Pump bilges during your voyage in the open sea to residues or fouling organisms back into the water. Ensure exchange water. that water intakes/outlets, cockpit and chain locker drainage tubes are not fouled. Water inlets / outlets

Sewage & Anchor well bilge tanks & anchor

Cooling pipes Rudder & martin board Deck Keel fittings

Propellor Hull surface & shaft Niche areas on a recreational vessel where biofouling can accumulate

Images: Page 2: European sea squirt left P. van Moer, right: P. van Moer. European fan worm right and left KI NRM Board. Sabellastarte sp. S. Leske. Page 3: Aquarium caulerpa left NSW Department Primary Industries, right R. Ling. Caulerpa scalpelliformis J. Huisman. European shore crab left J. Novak, right CSIRO Marine Research. Thalamita sima G. Edgar. Northern Pacific seastar left and right Usujiri Fisheries Station. Uniophora granifera Colin Wilson. Page 4: Boating Industry Association of Victoria. Spread the word not the pests!