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Bayswater Marina is now a Pest Free Partner. We’ve joined a growing network of marinas, boat clubs and local businesses working alongside Auckland Council and the Department of Conservation (DOC) to protect the islands of Tīkapa Moana / Hauraki Gulf from pests.
The Gulf’s islands are some of the safest places left for Aotearoa’s rarest wildlife, from takahē and tuatara to nesting seabirds. Many are free of rats, mice, stoats and other predators, and keeping them that way depends on everyone who visits. Plenty of the boats berthed at Bayswater head out to the islands, so stopping pests here, before anyone leaves the dock, makes a real difference.
What being a Pest Free Partner means
Pest Free Partners take simple, voluntary steps to help keep pests off the islands. At Bayswater, that means:
- keeping on top of pest control around the marina
- sharing biosecurity advice with berth holders, liveaboards and visitors
- encouraging every skipper to check their boat and gear before heading out
- making it easy to report a pest to the marina team
Look out for our “Proud to be a Pest Free Partner” poster at the marina office.
Before you head out: check, clean, close
- Check your boat. Look through lockers, bilges, dinghies and anywhere a rat or mouse could shelter. Droppings or chewed wiring are tell-tale signs.
- Be ready for stowaways. Keep fresh bait or traps on board, and fit rat guards to mooring lines and anchor chains.
- Clean your gear. Remove soil and seeds from footwear, tents and tramping gear. Soil can carry weed seeds and kauri dieback.
- Close it up. Pack kai in sealed containers rather than open or supermarket bags, and keep bags and bedding zipped.
- Clean below. Check your hull, anchor, chain and dive or fishing gear for marine pests such as exotic caulerpa, which has been found around Aotea / Great Barrier Island, Kawau, Rakino and Waiheke. Check the anchoring and fishing rules for controlled areas before you go.
- Leave pets at home. Many islands are free of cats and dogs, and it’s an offence to take pets onto or near them. Always follow the signs.
Found a pest?
- On your boat: catch it and secure it in a container, then email biosecurity@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or contact DOC. Please don’t throw rats or mice overboard.
- On a pest-free island: call 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468).
- Marine pests, such as exotic caulerpa: call 0800 80 99 66.
- At the marina: let our team know on +64 9 446 1600 or at office@bayswater.co.nz.
Thank you to everyone at Bayswater for doing your bit. Together we can keep the Gulf’s islands thriving for generations to come.
