TOURISM BAY OF PLENTY – RENA GROUNDING INFORMATION
Updated 20 February 2012
SITUATION UPDATE
Clean-up and salvage operations for the grounded cargo vessel Rena have been ongoing since early October, when the 236m cargo ship grounded on the Astrolabe Reef, near Tauranga Harbour.
Virtually all Bay of Plenty beaches have been open to the public from 16 November. Beach-goers concerned about the safety of swimming should refer to the local surf lifesaving club for guidance. The surf lifesavers regularly undertake detailed assessments of their stretches of beach and are best placed to offer advice on safe areas for swimming. When in doubt, swim between the flags.
In a world-first, volunteers were used to help clean up the oil spill, with great results. In a survey of visitors run over the peak summer season, 95% of respondents found the beaches clean and 89% found the water clean. All water-based events have gone ahead this year, including the Hyundai Pro Long-board Tour (18-19 February) and the Port of Tauranga Half Ironman (7 January).
The last seven oil-affected blue penguins were successfully released back into their natural habitat near Motiti Island on 17 February. This completed the last major release of birds cared for after the Rena grounding.
Good progress is being made by salvors in removing containers and debris from Rena. Helicopter operations, removing cut up pieces of containers, are continuing and dive operations will continue around the submerged stern section of the wreck.
The current Rena marine exclusion zone remains in place - a three nautical mile radius around Astrolabe Reef. The Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s Harbourmaster also advises recreational boaties must stay at least 200 metres clear of all containers from Rena, as well as any salvage vessel working on the response or any other vessel assisting with Rena response.
There is no appreciable food safety risk from the MV Rena oil spill. Finfish and crayfish are still good to eat; however, there is currently a health warning for the coastline from Tairua in the Coromandel to Rogers Road at Pukehina due to sampling which shows high levels of Paralytic Shellfish Poisons.
RESOURCES FOR TOURISM OPERATORS
Tourism Bay of Plenty has been providing regular updates to local tourism operators, other members of the tourism industry and media as new information is received. Tourism is a $450m per annum industry to the Western Bay of Plenty and Tourism Bay of Plenty is committed to updating and supporting the local tourism industry.
The information included in the toolkit and attachments is subject to change. Please refer to the sources listed in the materials or http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/incident for the latest information.
OTHER INFORMATION AND LINKS:
