Media release from Hawke's Bay Fish & Game
Fish & Game prepares for big trout release into Lake Tutira

FOR USE WEDNESDAY SEPT 19, 2012

Lake Tutira’s trout population is about to shoot up – as Hawkes Bay Fish & Game releases more than 2,700 young trout (Wed Sept 19, 2012).

The 2,750 trout are being trucked from Fish & Game’s Rotorua hatchery on Wednesday for release into the lake as part of an annual stocking programme.

Fish & Game Regional Manager Pete McIntosh says there are 2,250 one year old rainbows and another 500 brown trout of the same age.
Mr McIntosh says some “fantastic fish in great condition” have been caught this winter, the lake providing some consistent fishing opportunities when the region’s rivers are not suitable to fish.

These trout are the result of liberations that would have taken place around two to three years ago. “The trout released today (Wednesday) will hopefully grow fast and be the prize catch of anglers in a couple of years’ time.”

Mr McIntosh says that Tutira doesn’t have streams suitable for trout to spawn in, so although some natural reproduction takes place, the lake does need to be re-stocked.

The fish raised at Fish & Game's Rotorua hatchery in Ngongotaha are being transported in a ‘live trout truck’ specially equipped to cart the fish long distance with their own oxygen supply.

Many of the fish are tagged and when they’re caught the angler sends the tag to Fish & Game with details on where the fish was caught, it’s length and how much it weighed.

Those who send in tags are entered in a draw to win their next year's licence and the data gives Fish & Game information on growth rates of trout and assist with the management of the population.

Photo Caption: The young trout wait to have their fins clipped under sedation (Photo Grant Dyson Fish & Game).

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