RFP Pilot Trial for Large-scale Management of Undaria pinnatifida in the Fiordland Marine Area

Details

Tender Closed
RFx ID :	25552393
Tender Name :	RFP Pilot Trial for Large-scale Management of Undaria pinnatifida in the Fiordland Marine Area
Reference # :	406789
Open Date :	Thursday, 17 March 2022 1:30 PM (Pacific/Auckland UTC+13:00)
Close Date  :	Wednesday, 13 April 2022 3:00 PM (Pacific/Auckland UTC+12:00)
Department/Business Unit :	Biosecurity New Zealand
Tender Type :	Request for Proposals (RFP)
Tender Coverage :	Sole Agency  [?]
Categories :	81000000 - Engineering and Research and Technology Based Services
Regions:	Wellington West Coast
Exemption Reason :	None
Required Pre-qualifications :	None
Contact :	Brendan McNeice 04 830 7033
Alternate Physical Delivery Address  :
Alternate Physical Fax Number  :
Agency Address :	NEW ZEALAND

This procurement relates to initial scientific work for a control tool to assist with Undaria management in Fiordland. This work will inform the requirements for a possible future work programme by adapting and trialling tools or methods to suppress or eliminate Undaria in Fiordland.
The Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area (FMA) is an internationally significant fiord ecosystem. Undaria is an invasive marine seaweed that threatens the unique biodiversity values of this area. While Fiordland is largely free of marine pests, since 2010 Biosecurity New Zealand has been working with Environment Southland and the Department of Conservation (DOC) to control Undaria in Breaksea Sound, Fiordland. Initially control work was carried out with the intention to eradicate a small incursion, however, in 2017 Undaria was detected in a much wider area of Breaksea Sound. As a result, agency control efforts have primarily focused on containing Undaria within Breaksea Sound to preserve long-term management options. There is currently an Undaria biomass removal project underway that is managed by the Department of Conservation through the Jobs for Nature programme. This project involves the search and removal of Undaria.
Undaria forms dense monoculture beds in shallow rocky reef areas. It can out-compete native algae and invertebrate species for light and space. Current containment activities in the FMA rely on manual removal of Undaria by divers from the edge of its current distribution to prevent it spreading further throughout Fiordland. However, manual removal is difficult due to the isolated nature of Fiordland, limits on dive time, weather conditions, etc.
While some tools exist for small-scale treatment of Undaria (including use of heat, chlorine, encapsulation, kina biocontrol), there are no large-scale management tools available. Having a tool/method that can either suppress or, preferably, eradicate Undaria from Breaksea Sound, Fiordland would allow efforts to focus on eradication or increase the likelihood of successfully containing Undaria by supporting existing control work and initiatives.

This tender has been awarded.

• Pure Salt NZ Ltd. - 253D, Ramparts Road, Te Anau, Te Anau, Southland, 9679, NEW ZEALAND

Award Date: Tuesday, 19 July 2022 (Pacific/Auckland UTC+12:00)
Date RFx was completed/updated: Tuesday, 19 July 2022 9:38 AM (Pacific/Auckland UTC+12:00)