IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 1/ 1/ 2015

Fish & Game mount rescue operations as drying rivers alarm

Fish & Game is becoming increasingly alarmed at the rapidly falling water levels in some of the country’s rivers, particularly Canterbury where it says the situation is now “abnormal”.

Despite limited recent rainfall, some North Canterbury rivers are drying out and Fish & Game staff have already had to mount several operations to save trout and native fish, such as galaxids and eels, from certain death.

Over the last two days, scores of fish have been saved from drying sections of Lake Ellesmere tributaries along with the Ashley River and transferred to safer waters.

“The fish we saved yesterday and today would have had no chance of survival as the river had dried out above and below them, leaving them trapped in pools”, said North Canterbury Fish & Game senior field officer Steve Terry.

“Some of the trout were big, up to the ten pound mark, which anglers dream of catching,” Mr Terry said.

“We have also managed to save native fish and take them to safer spots.”

The fish rescue missions over the last two days are the latest in a series of such operations which began in November.

Though it is not unusual for some stretches of lowland rivers like the Selwyn, Orari and Cust to dry up in summer, it is abnormally early for water levels to be so low. Fish & Game staff have received many phone calls from anglers and other members of the community voicing their concerns.

“It is only early summer but river levels are plummeting,” said Mr Terry.

“Fish & Game would like ECan to consider introducing meaningful reductions in water takes from the catchments of these rivers for irrigation, as the environment is suffering at the present rate of abstraction.”

“Having many consented users free to take water at their permitted maximum is not balancing the water resource. ECan needs to recognise the present abnormal impact on the waterways and step in,” he said.

In South Canterbury, fish salvaging is also underway and the lake level behind the Opuha Dam is lower than normal, along with ground water wells reportedly running dry on the plains.

The dry, hot weather is also promoting the growth of toxic algae and health warnings are now in place for the Opihi, Waihi, Waihao and Temuka rivers.

ENDS

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