Beachgoers are being warned about getting nipped by sea lice in the Coromandel region.
Safeswim have issued a sea lice warning in Whangamatā following reports of swimmers itching and getting skin irritation.
Sea lice are found in intertidal, rocky and sandy shores all around the country, but are more prominent in summer.
Surf Lifesaving Eastern Region Manager Chaz Gibbons-Cambell says it's concerning when a huge influx of visitors are filling up beaches.
"Lots of people have been reporting getting bitten by sea lice when they've been sitting above the high-tide mark.
"There's not a lot of free beach spaces in Whangamatā, which is causing people to find the nearest possible beaches to sit on, that can be often quite dangerous."
Gibbons-Cambell says while sea lice are annoying, the main concern of Surf Lifesaving is the safety of swimmers.
"The lifeguards at Whangamatā have been busy with rescues in the water and assisting people out of prominent rips along the beach.
"If you can, sit below the high tide mark and you'll get less of them annoying you."
1 comment
Hmmmm...
Posted on 29-12-2022 13:17 | By morepork
"...sit below the high tide mark and you'll get less of them annoying you." And yet, we face this problem every year, we are supposed to have a Centre of Competence for Marine Biology here, and still, nothing is done about it. Given that a chunk of our revenue comes from holidaymakers, why is that? Do we wait until our beaches are "untenable" by Humans, before we instigate investigation into control of this pest? Maybe the people who make a living off tourism should chip in and create a fund to address problems like this. Anyone who has suffered an attack will testify that it is non-trivial.
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