IMPORTANT MESSAGE 3
for people living in the Bay of Plenty - RENA - Ship Grounding
As you will be aware, oil has now washed up on our beaches. Like us, many of you will be very distressed and concerned about what is happening to our beautiful coastline, our kai moana, and our ‘safe harbour’. As word is getting around, more and more people are wanting to help - and understandably so. However, there are professionally trained response teams that have been deployed to clean up the oil. Please do not try and touch the oil yourself. ‘Playing’ with the oil risks spreading it to other areas and creating more harm to the environment. The only circumstance in which you should be in direct contact with the oil is if you have been specially trained as a volunteer by the response teams. (Please see the Offers of assistance panel on this page for details.) We are confident that Maritime New Zealand is managing the situation with the best national and international experience at hand. As elected members, we have been receiving constant updates on the situation and the work that is happening to ensure that best practice is being followed. We want to make sure that you too are feeling informed about the situation. One of the ways we will be doing this is through public meetings. A public meeting was held in Tauranga last night and there will be more to come over the next few days. These meetings are an opportunity for you to hear from Maritime New Zealand and get an update on the latest issues that we are all facing. For information on upcoming meetings, see the “Notice of Public Meetings” panel on this page.
Oil on the beach
Being informed
There has been oil washed up on the Mount beach. Over the next few days this could get worse and be on other beaches as well. Please do not touch or try to clean up the oil.
There are many ways you can keep informed with any updates:
Professional response teams have been coordinated to deal with it.
www.sunlive.co.nz or read the papers Facebook:
However if you do want to assist you will need to be appropriately trained and given protective gear to do so.
www.facebook.com/boprc Website:
www.maritimenz.govt.nz/incident
Maritime NZ will call for assistance in due course and will advise you where to register.
Offers of assistance
Please call:
0800 OIL SPILL (0800 645 774) to report any oil spill that may not already have been noticed by the response teams.
Please email offers of assistance to:
iccrena@gmail.com
Notice of Public Meetings
Wildlife response
Papamoa
Any sightings of wildlife with oil should be reported to:
Papamoa Sport and Recreation Centre Gordon Spratt Reserve, Parton Road, Papamoa
0800 333 771
Photos - Left to right: Stuart Crosby, Ross Paterson and John Cronin
Media Reporting: Listen to the radio, visit
Please do not try to clean up oil or handle the wildlife. This is because the oil can be toxic and harm your skin. Also the wildlife needs trained responders to handle them. Wildlife centres have been set up. If you want to volunteer to be part of the clean up, please call the number above.
Thursday, 13 October at 1.00pm Friday, 14 October at 6.00pm
Mount Maunganui
If you want to report anything to the media centre then please call:
0800 774 554
Boaties information If you have been out in the Bay you might see oil on the hull of your boat.
Mount Maunganui College Hall Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui
To clean your boat use a self service car wash or de-greaser and avoid letting the water run off into the stormwater drains or watercourses.
Thursday, 13 October at 6.00pm Friday, 14 October at 1.00pm
Our best advice is to stay well away from Rena and the oil spill.