Paradise Lost

DOC have rejected a petition signed by more than half the population of Great Barrier Island, asking them to change their plans to aerially drop Brodifacoum on neighbouring Rakitu Island this winter.

The island is in close proximity to the main island of Aotea, and is used extensively by boaties, fisherfolk, divers, and the historical owners of the island, the Foster nee Rope family.

Members of the Foster family are strongly opposed to the brodifacoum drop. DOC forced the family to remove an island-wide monitored rat trapping grid, that the family felt was very successful; the reasons for this are unclear.

Rakitu is a cultural taonga, as it is the resting place of Rehua, founding tupuna of Ngaati Rehua - Ngaatiwai ki Aotea.

Local resident tangata whenua Ngaatiwai ki Aotea are opposed to the poison drop, and have put in a request to halt proceedings. They have an application for Customary Marine Title under the Marine and Coastal Act (Takutai Moana) 2011, and have not been consulted by DOC (DOC have consulted Ngaati-Rehua Trust, and have their approval). The department of justice website states:

“If you're applying for resource consent, permit or approvals in the common marine and coastal area you need to notify and seek the views of any group that has applied for recognition of customary marine title in the area.”

Is DOC exempt?????

DOC will be killing large numbers of weka in the process of the “rat” eradication on Rakitu. After relocating a population from the mainland because they were at risk, DOC are finding that the thriving of the weka is interfering with their desire to “restore Rakitu, as close as possible, to the way it was before human contact” . According to an internal document 1 from DOC, “if weka remain on the island the eradication cost may outweigh the benefit” .

The world’s leading experts on brodifacoum have stated:

“..based on a growing body of scientific evidence gathered over the last 20 years, it is 3 now recognised that large scale use of anticoagulants may pose a global risk to vertebrate wildlife…”

1 From written response from Andrew Baucke, DOC, to the petition from Aotea residents.

2 https://www.edocr.com/v/3bbkedy3/aoteapoisonfree/DOCs-desktop-assessment-for-the-Rakitu-drop

3 Anticoagulant Rodenticides and Wildlife, published by Springer International, January 2018