Mitimiti, a stretch of coastline on the west coast of the Far North is the latest coastal area to be infested with the toxic weed Sea Spurge.
According to the Northland Regional Council website, the stems contain a milky sap that is toxic to people and animals. The weed was found at Moetangi stream in Mitimiti in early October and this gave cause for hapū kaitiaki to swing into action.
The Ministry of Primary Industries says the weed is likely to have arrived on ocean currents from Australia where infestations have caused major environmental problems at many beaches by displacing native plants and changing patterns of sand movement.
Debbie Martin is one of several hau kāinga kaitiaki who has been working at pace with officials to eradicate the weed. She warns that, if the weed takes hold, this will impact the kaimoana as the tihetihe or native tumble weed won’t be able to move the spat along the coast.
“It’s an incredibly toxic plant. We’re asking people if they do see it to let hau kāinga or NRC know because, once the plant is broken, it emits a sap that is incredibly toxic. You have to wear gloves because it can burn your skin and it’s also been known to make people go temporarily blind,” she said.
Local hapū are working with the Northland Regional Council to devise a management plan that aims to eradicate the weed. Martin says they need to be pragmatic and use the best weapon in the kete to get rid of it.
“Removal by hand is not really an option; we’re looking at herbicide to deal with it. It will be a monitored process going in, spot spraying and removing the plants” she said.
Whilst the stretch of coastline is rugged and rough, it still remains a source of food for the locals.
“It’s incredibly important that the hau kāinga are involved and are taking ownership as we are.”
“We’re such a remote community in Mitimiti, one way in and one way out. We hold mana moana, we have an application under MACA and protected customary rights. For us this is another example of us protecting and looking after our coastline as we have mai rā anō.”