Subscribe to RSSMoney To Solve Sea Slug Problem
The Government is pumping $250,000 of research money into trying to solve Auckland’s sea slug problem.
The sea slugs contain tetrodotoxin, the same poison found in puffer fish, and were last year found to be responsible for a number of dog deaths.
The money is going to Nga pae o te Maramatanga, formerly the National Institute of Research Development and Advancement, based at Auckland University - a centre that facilitates projects deemed important to Maori.
The Cawthron Institute will collaborate with the Hauraki Maori Trust Board on the two-year project. It will determine if there is risk in harvesting seafood from the Hauraki Gulf.
Toxic slugs have been found at a number of beaches along the North Shore, including Narrowneck and Milford beaches and in Torpedo Bay.
Last week toxic slugs were also found on Kohimarama Beach – the first time sea slugs have been found on any Auckland City beach, on the south side of the harbour.
1 Comments
Ummm, was it proven that the Kohi slugs WERE toxic? I understood they were just the same type as the earlier, toxic ones. I.e. not AUTOMATICALLY dangerous. Or has the analysis agreed they were?