ANNUAL ENVIRONMENTAL INSPECTION REPORT, GOUGH ISLAND WILDLIFE RESERVE, SEPTEMBER 2005 Richard Cuthbert1 & Ivan Green2 1 Conservation Research Department, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, The Lodge, Sandy, Bedfordshire, UK. Email:
[email protected] 2 Conservation Officer, Natural Resource Department, Tristan da Cunha SUMMARY Actions Required and Recommendations 1. Rodent bait stations should be routinely placed in the cargo holds of the S.A. Agulhas as a further precaution against bringing rats to Gough Island. Action: Smit Marine 2. Ensuring that all DEAT containers packed and sent to Gough Island are propagule free remains an issue that needs to be improved. Thorough cleaning and fumigation of containers immediately prior to packing is recommended, along with a system to verify this. Action: DEAT. 3. The activity and procedures to ensure that fuel pumping proceeds without incident need to be improved and it is recommended that all shore-based operations in fuel pumping be the responsibility of NDPW, who have the skills and knowledge to undertake, maintain and repair all of the equipment in the operation. Procedures need to be in place to ensure that there is sufficient fuel hose in the water to prevent unnecessary strain on the coupling joints if there is a strong current running or changing weather conditions cause the S.A. Agulhas to drag anchor, and it is recommended that a small boat with dispersants onboard is in the water during the whole time of fuel pumping. Action: Smit Marine, DEAT and NDPW 4. Equipment for dealing with a fuel leak on shore and at-sea is currently inadequate, and the procedure on how a major leak should be dealt with is not established.