NZ: Bay of Plenty gearing up for bumper sea lettuce season

A Bay of Plenty summer is promising sunny days, warm weather, countless barbecues and possibly the picturesque shoreline covered in tonnes of stinking sea lettuce.

The predicted strong El Nino weather pattern has Tauranga City and Bay of Plenty Regional Councils gearing up for a "busy sea lettuce season" around Tauranga Harbour.

Tauranga Harbour projects manager Bruce Gardner says data gathered since 1991 shows that the largest blooms occur during drier weather and persistent offshore winds associated with El Nino.

The councils want to find and collect any large piles of beach-cast sea lettuce before they get too anaerobic and smelly.

Last year 350 tonnes was collected from beaches and turned into commercial compost at the Te Maunga compost facility.

However, the councils are also keen to hear from anyone else who wants it.

"If it's a bumper season in the northern harbour we need to minimise the high cost of cartage back to Te Maunga... having some alternative disposal options closer to accumulation sites would be a big help."

With careful washing and dilution, beach-cast sea lettuce could be an effective compost or orchard mulch, Mr Gardner said.

Source: nzcity.co.nz