This delightful piece of propaganda was in the *Waiheke Marketplace July 7th
2010*.
Note the timing for winter, when in 2009 hundreds of fish, dozens of
penguins, several dolphins and a dozen dogs (seriously ill, some died)
washed up dead in the inner gulf and Auckland beaches directly following a
brodifacoum drop on Rangitoto and Mototapu Island. This 'warning' needed to
be re-issued (falsely of course) last winter in case a few people pondered
on the non emergence of any toxic slugs and subsequent deaths, which of
course have not happened since the drop.

This is an absolute gem, let's see if this topic re-emerges this winter,
especially in light of the proposed Shakespeare Regional Park drop.

"The Auckland Regional Council is re-issuing a warning over toxic sea slugs,
found to be re-invading water at Gulf beaches. The creatures were spotted
during a recent dive survey at Long Bay, Browns Bay Narrow Neck Beach,
Cheltenham, Bayswater, Mission Bay and Illiomama Rock - near Rangitoto. A
total of 94 grey side gilled slugs were found, and samples from each
location tested positive for teterodotoxin (TTX), a poison that caused death
and illness in dogs last winter. Councils are routinely patrolling
local beaches to spot any more specimens while investigations into what is
making the slugs more poisionous continue.
During August and September last year 15 dogs became unwell with symptoms
consistent with TTX poisioning after eating sea slugs at Hauraki Gulf
beaches. Six of the dogs died.
ARC environmental monitoring group manager Grant Barnes said last year sea
slugs were not common, but could occasionally be found washed up on beaches,
including those on Waiheke. Now the Auckland Regional Public Health Service
is re-issuing advice to Hauraki Gulf beach users. Children and pets need to
be supervised - parents should watch where their children are swimming or
playing, and what they are handling. Adults children and pets should not
eat anything found washed up.
The service warns sea slugs are dangerous and people who find any should
mark the spot and call the city or regional council for the creatures to be
collected safely.
Visit www.arc.govt.nz/seaslugs or www.arphs.govt.nz "


What a masterpiece! and what short memories people appear to have. And
isn't it just as well, for that is what the authorities who spin this
nonsense rely on! You may note that there is no mention of the coinciding
poison aerial drop that resulted in not just dogs, but many species of birds
and marine life in the Gulf to die.
May I reiterate - THERE ARE NO SUCH THING AS TOXIC SEA SLUGS. They simply
do not exist. Yes, absolutely there are sea slugs in these regions, (in
large numbers according to past scientific surveys) however they are utterly
harmless and not in the least bit toxic.

If there is any such thing as a toxic sea slug, (which there is NOT), they
are only toxic due to having laboratory synthesised (man made) TTX injected
into their bodies. That way if they are ever tested by an independent party
(yeah right) then they will be shown to contain TTX.. Sound nuts? - not
really, just look at the lengths gone to already to deny and cover up the
fact that the brodifacoum bait dropped on Rangitoto contained 1080 and kills
wildlife on a broad scale (as it has done overseas: Hawaii, Alaska).

I won't go on and on about this delightful piece of misinformation, however
consider this: if this is what is said about a relatively 'minor' event that
barely scratches the surface of national news, then what else goes on??
it's pretty mind boggling, however hardly a new thing to consider.

Next topic - Horse Mussels. Millions have washed up dead on Waiheke
beaches....







--
Sarah Silverstar
www.oceanaware.info