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Has the I on SEAFOOD SAFETY? impacted BY DOROTHY-JEAN MCCOUBREY n today's technological world of satellites, radar, global positioning systems and sophisticated marine navigational equipment, it should be impossible for ships to hit rocks recognised by ancient mariners and which feature clearly on modern charts. However, we have recently watched vivid pictures of the Costa Concordia, an Italian cruise ship, hit rocks known since Roman times. The resultant loss of life and environmental damage to a pristine Mediterranean marine area is a tragedy. New Zealand suffered a similar maritime and environmental disaster when the container ship Rena ran aground on Astrolabe Reef off Tauranga in early October, 2011. We have watched horrifi ed as this event unfolded, including the ship splitting and the stern section sinking in January. As soon as the Rena foundered, New Zealand authorities recognised the potentially disastrous human and environmental effects. Maritime New Zealand, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, the Department of Conservation, the Public Health service, other government agencies and volunteer groups quickly stepped forward to minimise the dangers to humans, birds, marine life and the coastline from oil, chemicals and fl oating debris. Even so, New Zealanders have been deeply saddened to see beaches covered with black, sticky oil and birdlife suffering because of the pollution. Adding to the burden, more than 2300 tonnes of waste cargo material has been collected for landfi ll disposal. The idea of "food safety" rarely comes immediately to mind during such environmental dramas. However, in this instance, the government agency New Zealand Food Safety (a division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) immediately realised the potential for the Bay of Plenty's rich seafood resources to be affected by the Rena's oil, cargo and ship wreckage. MAF is responsible for assessing the food safety risks and providing advice to the agencies dealing with the situation on the ground. To begin with, large shipping exclusion zones were put in place which managed any initial food safety issues, and commercial fi shermen initially suspended fi shing in areas close to the wreck exclusion zone. MAF worked with the seafood sector to obtain and analyse samples of commercial seafood, while the regional council took samples of shellfi sh from inside and outside the exclusion zone. The results of the initial sampling showed some species had no trace of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (chemicals associated with oil) and a few samples had trace amounts. None came anywhere near levels that MAF had assessed as being unsafe. Commercial fi shing for crayfi sh, kina, paddle crabs and fi nfi sh has therefore been able to resume outside of the (reduced) exclusion zone. Marine pollution escaping from the Public warnings against taking shellfi sh for oil contamination reasons were also lifted a few weeks after the grounding after the PAH levels were found to be low and decreasing in successive shellfi sh samples, although general advice remains to not take shellfi sh from areas with any visible oil contamination present. By the time the Rena broke in half, with the stern section sinking in January, most of the oil and many containers had been removed. However, a lot of container debris washed ashore after the break-up with the main concern being to those with milk allergies, as a long stretch of coastline was littered with milk powder. Food allergies are a food safety issue for some vulnerable people, so it was important that they were given good advice. Allergy New Zealand warned that while the health risks were very low, people with milk allergies should consider staying away from beaches where the milk powder had come ashore. MAF continues to work closely with the local public health unit, Maritime New Zealand and local body councils as the cleanup continues. Any food safety issues are managed largely by the three-mile exclusion zone around the Rena. When the salvage is completed and the exclusion zone is going to be removed, it is expected that comprehensive testing of seafood from the Astrolabe Reef itself will need to be done before the "all clear" is given. It's great to know that when disasters of any type happen in New Zealand we have agencies which can quickly step up to take adequate measures to protect the public and our precious environment. We are often quick to complain that we live in a country with too many rules and regulations, but at times like these we should appreciate and be grateful for good governance and the co-operation of experts in the private and public sector. Now, if only we could prevent human errors and increase the legal sanctions given to those "wallies" responsible for acts of wilfully negligent navigation, New Zealand would be even better off. MARCH/APRIL 2012 ■ NZ AQUACULTURE ■ 11 Ren a Ren a IMAGE: MARITIME NZ