Monitoring of the benthos in the vicinity of the Pan Pac sawmill/pulp mill ocean outfall.

Temporal coverage: 2002-2007 (on-going)

Number of sites: 2002: 14 stations 2007: 11 stations Whirinaki, Hawkes Bay

Sampling Frequency: 5 yearly. In 2010 an AEE was done as part of changing the pulp mill treatment process. No further marine data was collected for it, however.

Main marine environment sampled: Coastal (Bay)

Depth zone: Intertidal

Sediment type: Soft

Community association: Gravel/sand

Sampling method: Sediment and macrofaunal cores

Parameters collected: Sediment, in- & epi-fauna

Measured variables: Sediment: particle size, organic content, RPD layers, photomicroscopy (presence/absence of pulp fibre); Community composition

Species/Community data: Benthic invertebrates

Other data collected: Surveys were previously conducted at this location for the historic water right (Beca Steven 1989, Beca Steven 1991) and as part of the consent application process (Beca Steven 1997). An AEE was written by Cawthron in 2010 as part of changing the pulp mill process.

Collection: ongoing

Quality assurance: Yes