Update 22/9/09:  Pete [name supplied] who has been fishing the Hauraki Gulf for the last 35 years, and regularly fishes off Rangitoto, had this to say about the day of the first poison drops in June.  (He was fishing on the rocks. Other fisherman were removed from the area, however he refused to leave):

" there were immense amounts of it [poison] going into the water - there was more going into the sea than the land! It was absolutely horrendous to see....  I have never seen anything like this in all my 35 years of fishing...  It was coming in like hail (it stung!), in immense, immense amounts, it looked like every 100 m or so, there was a sack of it going in the water...  my dear, what I saw you would not believe"   He also expressed feelings that are best not printed here! however he did say, " they need their backsides kicked good and proper!!" 

Pete and Paul, another fisherman I have spoken to expressed grave concerns about poison accumulating in the food chain. The fish caught in these areas are being sold at the market - even if people do not become ill from this, they will likely be accumulating poison in their liver (please see the report for details on this).  The end of this report provides further eye-witness quotes.

Suspected Presence of Brodifacoum in Penguins, Hauraki Gulf.

Sarah Silverstar, August 2009.

 

Welcome and thank you for taking the time to read this report. My aim is to spark debate and raise critical questions, and while I do not profess to have all the answers by any means, I hope this humble report raises some valid points for consideration. My organisation Ocean Aware is raising funds in conjunction with http://www.wildbirds.org.nz to have penguins tested for suspected brodifacoum/1080 poisoning.

 

Report outline:

   1. Overview

2. Claims in the news: A brief look at harmful algal blooms (HABs), sea slugs and other beach occurrences.

3. What are puffer fish and why are they suddenly poisoning the entire ecosystem?

4. What is brodifacoum?

5. What about 1080?

6. Finale including anecdotal reports.

 

1) Overview

What do we know about these pest control drops? From DoC's public notice:

“...from the 15th June until the 31 October 2009...brodifacoum (0.02gm/kg) will be distributed by helicopter over the islands (& surrounding islets and rock stacks) on three separate occasions taking up to three days per application, with each application being two or more weeks apart.”
DOC has always maintained that brodifacoum is a harmless rat poison available for anyone to purchase and use.

It was reported on the 2nd July in the Gulf News http://www.waihekegulfnews/  that the reserves were now open again after the first successful bait drop. In early July the dog deaths were reported, with reports of previous dog illness/death “almost two months ago”. Just after the dog deaths around the 6th July reports of dead marine life were reported. http://nzherald.co.nz/environment/news

A MAF spokeswoman promptly announced that brodifacoum and 1080 were the two things that had absolutely been ruled out as the cause, stating that the symptoms of the dogs did not match: read this report and decide for yourself if this is an adequate reason. Early august saw reports of dog and wildlife deaths with numerous theories in the media as to the possible cause/s.

2) Claims in the news - A brief examination of cited potential causes:

 2.1

Suspected Toxin	Actual Effects
HAB (aka toxic algae)	Harmful algal blooms occur in warm weather. They arise from an excess of nutrients resulting in a phytoplankton bloom. They are usually visible (aka red tides) however are considered “not usually harmful”. Details see Woods Hole's excellent site: http://www.whoi.edu/
Seaweed	http://www.bbc.co.uk/ Toxic sea lettuce has been reported on the coast of Italy, France and the UK this summer. The sea lettuce forms dense mats and when exposed to heat and disturbed releases hydrogen peroxide gas.
Pilchard virus	Pilchards do occasionally die off. The usual cause is HAB's, however there is a suspected virus that effects them also.
Starvation	It appears there was plenty of fish - with the dolphins stomachs “packed full of pilchards” (could these have been dead or dying thus easier to gobble up in bulk?)
Sea slugs	http://www.seaslugforum.net/ “touching sea slugs cautiously with the tongue is a recommended way of testing for toxins” Enough said.
Farm runoff	This is a vast area, and nutrient runoff causes major issues. Globally nutrient runoff from agriculture, industry and urban areas are cited as a cause of increased HAB's http://www.redtideflorida.org/
Man made chemicals	Manufactured chemicals pose by far the greatest environmental threat, and do not need a Lethal dose (LD) to cause harm. The thousands of chemicals loose in the environment today operate/interact in minute quantities to affect: hormone response, endocrine function, fertility, organ and brain function. Many chemicals are stored in body fat, and are passed on in breast milk. http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/

 

3) What are puffer fish and why are they suddenly poisoning the entire ecosystem?

National geographic sums puffer fish up nicely:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com

“Almost all puffer fish contain tetrodotoxin, a substance that makes them foul tasting and often lethal to fish. To humans, tetrodotoxin is deadly, up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide. There is enough toxin in one pufferfish to kill 30 adult humans, and there is no known antidote.
Amazingly, the meat of some puffer fish is considered a delicacy. Called fugu in Japan, it is extremely expensive and only prepared by trained, licensed chefs who know that one bad cut means almost certain death for a customer. In fact, many such deaths occur annually.
There are more than 120 species of pufferfish worldwide. Most are found in tropical and subtropical ocean waters, but some species live in brackish and even fresh water.
They range in size from the 1-inch-long (2.5-centimeter-long) dwarf or pygmy puffer to the freshwater giant puffer, which can grow to more than 2 feet (61 centimeters) in length. They are scaleless fish and usually have rough to spiky skin. All have four teeth that are fused together into a beak-like form.
The diet of the pufferfish includes mostly invertebrates and algae. Large specimens will even crack open and eat clams, mussels, and shellfish with their hard beaks. Poisonous puffers are believed to synthesize their deadly toxin from the bacteria in the animals they eat.”

Puffer Fish – poisonous however only if you eat one directly. You can safely hold a puffer fish in your hand. Does this innocuous creature warrant the en mass abandonment of beaches? Apparently so. Interestingly, National Geographic does not include NZ in the habitation zone for puffer fish.

 

4) What is Brodifacoum?

4.1 Brodifacoum is a 2nd generation anticoagulant which causes death by massive internal hemorrhage. The 2nd generation poisons are regarded as vastly more toxic that 1st generation poisons like 'warfarin'. In most countries overseas including the UK and USA, Brodifacoum is registered for indoor use only by commercial operators. This is because of it high toxicity and persistence in the environment. The baits are very attractive to dogs and many dog deaths and illnesses have been reported when these baits were not laid in a controlled protected environment.
Symptoms of brodifacoum poisoning include: “weak, wobbly, unstable, difficulty breathing, blood in saliva, rectum, nose, vomit, bleeding gums”. However it is noted that symptoms are not always physically evident, and many dogs have been sent home undiagnosed, only to die later. http://www.petmd.com/

4.2 This from doc's website (other control options/alternative poisons) http://www.doc.govt.nz/publications/conservation/threats-and-impacts/animal-pests/

 

Poison Name	Advantages	Disadvantages
Brodifacoum	Effective against low density numbers	Very persistent in the environment
Cereal pellets	Effective against bait or poison-shy possums	High secondary poisoning risk
	Antidote available (Vit K)	Widespread contamination of other wildlife possible
	No poison license required	Expensive compared to 1080
		Risks not acceptable for DOC – areas where feral pigs, deer or other animals, taken for human consumption are present
		Long time to death (1-2 wks)
1080	Very cheap	High risk to dogs
Paste, cereal pellet, carrot baits, gel.	Only poison registered for aerial application	Secondary poisoning risks
	Moderately rapid effects (4-12 hrs)	Currently no antidote
	Very effective
	Low environmental persistence
	Effective for multiple pest control

 

4.3 DoC states: “The major disadvantage of brodifacoum is the persistence of brodifacoum residues after both primary and secondary poisoning. Trails with captive pigs have shown that brodifacoum accumulates in the liver and, to a lesser extent the muscle... it is important to remember that a much lower sub-lethal dose will produce significant clotting abnormalities and some hemorrhaging. Predatory and scavenging birds such as morepork, weka, southern black backed gull and the Australasian harrier are at risk from secondary poisoning. DOC no longer uses brodifacoum widely on the mainland because of concerns about residues accumulating in non-target species”

 

4.4  This is from a commercial pest controller in the UK: http://www.thepiedpiper.com/

“Brodifacoum is a weak acid which does not readily form water soluble salts (nearly insoluble in water). It does not loose activity after 30 days in direct sunlight. Commercial formulations are stable (active in the environment) for at least 2 years if protected from extreme temperatures and sunlight.... the modern 2nd generation anticoagulant rodenticides such as brodifacoum have proved severe secondary poisoning properties” … “Brodifacoum is persistent in soils and has a half life of 157 days.... Very highly toxic to aquatic organisms, mammals and birds”

4.5  The World Health Organisation states that brodifacoum is to be left in a locked, unoccupied building for no more than 24 hours, and that all baits are to be removed after this time (and the area cleaned), and all bodies are to be retrieved and burned.

4.6 The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 'Vertebrate Pest Conference Proceedings, 1988'. “some dogs die suddenly and others exhibit symptoms 4-8 days after dose” speaking about brodifacoum poisoning where dogs have accessed bait.

So if baits are highly persistent in water and accumulate in the organs of animals that feed on them and/or carcases, it could be possible that poisoned fish/bait has been consumed by the dogs (and marine animals!) resulting in deaths/illness.  The risk of children and dogs continuing to be exposed in such a way is possibly quite high - is this the real reason the beaches are off limits?

 

4.7  SURVIVAL OF BROWN KIWI (APTERYX MANTELLI) EXPOSED TO BRODIFACOUM POISON IN NORTHLAND, NEW ZEALAND: H.A Robertson et. al. NZ Journal of Ecology #23.

This data ws recorded 18 months after the use of brodifacoum bait stations in the northland study area: 3 of the 4 kiwi chicks that died contained traces of brodifacoum. The paper discusses the bioaccumulation of the toxin and concluded that the sustained effects of long term exposure may not be visible in the adult pop for several years. “the chicks somehow came into contact with the toxin. They may have fed on baits or fed on invertebrates(remember this is 18 months later) that had ingested the poison”

 

4.8  DOC on brodifacoum:

• needs to be used in properly controlled bait stations... brodifacoum should be limited to bait station control to avoid contamination of water.

• Brodifacoum residues have been found in wild venison and pork.

• Brodifacoum can deliver lethal amounts to dogs through secondary poisoning.

• 33 species are identified as being at direct risk from primary poisoning and 11 species at risk from secondary poisoning.

• Although insects are able to excrete brodifacoum, lacking the blood system of vertebrates, slugs and weta have measurable residues. The poison transfer from invertebrate to vertebrate is unknown. Unknown impacts on lizards, skinks and frogs.

 

4.9  C.T Eason, et al, 1999. NZ Journal of Ecology: Secondary and Tertiary poisoning risks for Brodifacoum.

“...causes concern because of it's extreme persistence in target and non-target species. This wide scale field use of brodifacoum is in itself unusual: the USA and UK only use brodifacoum for indoor rodent control, and even this use has caused secondary poisoning which has been widely documented... because of its toxicity all vertebrates that eat baits or poisoned prey containing brodifacoum residues are at risk, including humans” and “a risk exists which is compounded by the unusual persistence of this toxicant.... even if brodifacoum use were to cease immediately, it would be persistent in the food chain for several years”

 

5) What about 1080?

1080 has received a vast deal of press and is strongly opposed by numerous action groups, all of whom believe it to be throughly detrimental to the environment, wildlife and human health. 1080 attacks neurological function, leading to a prolonged death including, stomach pain, muscle cramps, seizures, spontaneous abortions, foaming at the mouth and convulsions to name a few.

5.1  View 'perkinsb46' on YouTube. This is Bronwyn Perkins' pet cow dying from 1080 in the water supply. 1080 baits are persistent for up to several weeks in water, although DOC claims that no significant residues have been found. Research on baits in water claim they only last a few hours/days - this is based on laboratory tests on water above 21 degrees centigrade.  Hardly NZ conditions. 

www.stop1080.com, www.openureyes.org.nz , www.thegrafboys.org

 

5.2 P Whiting and Q O'Keeffe: pwok@alumni.caltech.edu refers to “DOC's highly effective public opinion control machine” and goes on to state that one area where 1080 was used the following mortalities were recorded:

54% Banded Robin, 40% Tomtits, 50% mortality in invertebrates (insects – and what happens to the birds that feed on them?), Nz uses 85 – 90% of the worlds 1080. And the study goes on to say “lethal doses are known, but sub-lethal dose levels are not known. Known effects on humans include: infertility, hormone dysfunction and mutations” Docs toxicity studies were described as “poorly designed and analysed”.
Doc themselves have noted the large numbers of native birds killed following 1080 drops.

5.3  From the Whiting – O'Keeffe study entitled: Aerial monofluroacetate in Nz's forests – an appraisal of the scientific evidence.

Recommendations

Our recommendations are as follows,

• DoC’s aerial 1080 operations should be stopped until a properly designed and executed study independent of DoC can be completed showing the benignity and benefit of aerial 1080 to our native forests and its inhabitants. Such a study should include arms that test alternatives to aerial 1080.
• Environmental research funding should be reorganized to remove it from the control of agencies and individuals with potential pecuniary interests, such as in this case the DoC bureaucracy. The National Institutes of Health in the United States might serveas a good model.
• An inquiry should be initiated regarding the practice of the aerial application of 1080and the manner in which DoC has advocated that it should be funded by the New Zealand government. The inquiry should not be under political control of any kind. Itshould be undertaken by a one-time independent commission at least half constitutedby respected international scientists.
• AHB’s license to continue aerial 1080 should be limited to experiments specificallydesigned to determine its absolute necessity and the real cost of alternativeapproaches.
• We, the citizens of New Zealand, should pay the additional cost (if there really is any)of ground-based possum control until sound research can be completed that crediblyestablishes that aerial 1080 is beneficial to our forest ecosystems.
  

We think that it is appropriate to provide to the ERMA reviewers some insight into our personal reasons for undertaking the substantial project of which this paper is a result. We, the authors, are foreign born, reared and educated. When we retired, we could have moved anywhere in the world. We chose New Zealand. A couple of years ago, we wereshocked and indeed viscerally disturbed to learn that the government of our “sane and clean” New Zealand was routinely and indiscriminately dropping food laced with large amounts of auniversal poison into its forests70. Before that when asked why we chose New Zealand (as wefrequently were), we always answered that we chose New Zealand because it is environmentally sane and clean. Having observed for years the irrationality, lack of science, and ecologically simplistic nature of DoC’s interventions in the Port Charles ecosystem where we live, we were not surprised when our early investigations failed to turn up good evidence supporting the use of aerial 1080, which is anti-environmental. We have stopped proffering New Zealand’s environmental sanity as our reason for living here, but we also have determined to do what we could to put things right. Initially we tried to convince both acquaintances and DoC representatives to look to the scientific evidence, but the arguments there are complex, presupposing knowledge of and belief in the principles of scientific inference, which most people simply do not have. Furthermore, the DoC propaganda machine regarding aerial 1080 has been in full operation for so long and the aerial 1080 practice now so enculturated that there are few Kiwis capable to viewing the evidence objectively. Our efforts were entirely in vain. The announcement of ERMA’s reassessment of 1080 a couple of months ago afforded a new line of approach71, and we resolved to do what we could to put this important national issue on a more rational course, one dominated by the scientific evidence rather than bureaucratic whim or self-interest. That resolution has resulted in this paper, which despite its inherently critical nature, we hope will be taken as it is intended, for the betterment of our much appreciated adopted country.

5.4  Department of Conservation: Comparative Risk Assessment.

On 1080:

• “Legislation requires that baits are not to be aerially broadcast within 100m of streams...plants do take 1080 up from the soil” and“1080 persists in carcasses for at least 80 days”, and these carcasses can be lethal to anything that preys on them.
  

• Measurable levels of 1080 found in insects up to 3 weeks after an aerial application.

• Secondary poisoning is “commonly reported”. Mortality for deer can be greater than 90% and “bait must not be dropped within 50m of a waterway” NZFSA
  

6) Finale

Since I have studied conservation I can empathise that there is a need for pest control. The unfortunate nature of introducing species to a unique environment with a high level of specialisation and endemism (species not found anywhere else), means that there are threats and damage to native habitats. This is not in dispute. What is disputed is that poisons of an “extremely toxic nature” are broadcast over land, wildlife and waterways. Native wildlife face enough threats (loss of habitat, introduced predators) without long term exposure to deadly poisons. There are viable alternatives.

 

Whether or not we are able to link DOC's poisons with these events, personally I feel these practices are a national disgrace and the ongoing use of these poisons is unacceptable. I could go on and on in this report – there is a vast amount of information on these topics, and I have barely scratched the surface here. If you are interested in further information or have any comments, please email me at: silverstar@oceanaware.info

Finally some interesting anecdotal evidence:

• From a distressed fisherman “untold Kawahai floating dead in the shallows, large snapper dead, dead ducks floating past, everything was dead, the water was full of dead birds” Pilchards and other fish were observed feeding on birds poisoned by brodifacoum, which passes the toxin along the food chain.
  
  
• A retired DOC worker (wishes to remain anonymous) “ this is devastation stuff – they do not know what the long term effects are [of brodifacoum]. Brodifacoum is x4 stronger than 1080”

• A friend on Motutapu Sunday 17th august “the bait is all over the beach, it has not broken down like they said it would” (he seemed genuinely surprised, bless him)

Reports of dead gannets, dolphins, floating pilchards and penguins. One fisherman understands that pilchards travel up to 30 km a day. Another fisherman felt that the region has been in decline for several months – that is another matter... Marine Reserve anyone.... ?

 

Thank you.