North Island Didymo Transported by Testers

Apparently the scare caused by the discovery of dead didymo cells in a New Zealand north island river last month (see “Didymo Threatens Site of 2008 World Fly Fishing Championships“) was caused by the very government agency tasked with didymo’s control. “‘Contamination of water sampling containers was almost certainly the source of the dead didymo cells found in four central North Island rivers in late October,” [Biosecurity Minister Jim Anderton] said. Mr Andertson said it had been discovered that NIWA pottle lids sent to Turangi were contaminated with ‘microscopic amounts of dead didymo cells.'” In the New Zealand Herald.