Undaria plants found on submerged vessel at Chathams

The Ministry of Fisheries has confirmed the presence of the Asian Seaweed, undaria, following an inspection of the Seafresh 1 at Hanson Bay, Chatham Islands today.

Department of Conservation scientist, Dr Mike Stuart has reported finding two small undaria plants during a dive on the hull of the submerged vessel this morning. Dr Stuart is an authority on the seaweed and runs the Stewart Island undaria control programme.

The Ministry of Fisheries is taking the discovery of the plant very seriously and is exploring management options. The Ministry is working closely with the Department of Conservation and the Maritime Safety Authority in managing risks associated with the sinking of Seafresh 1.

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