Snow and ice no deterrent to Fish & Game

A team of North Canterbury Fish & Game staff and volunteers braved sub-zero temperatures in the Canterbury High Country yesterday, as they undertook a fish salvage on behalf of Trustpower.

Situated above Lake Coleridge, the Harper Diversion runs between the Harper River and the top of the lake, and is a vital part of Trustpower’s power generation in the area.

Leading the salvage team, North Canterbury Fish & Game’s Tony Hawker said “the power company is shutting down the diversion for maintenance at this quieter time of year and engaged Fish & Game to remove the fish before they ran it dry.”

Hawker added “the drive in was spectacular, but the conditions made this one of the more challenging salvage operations we have undertaken.”

Though the sun shone, and half a metre of snow lined the canal, the temperature never rose above zero and, according to North Canterbury Fish & Game’s Kelvin Wright, “If you took your net out of the water it was frozen within 30 seconds.”

Trustpower reduced the flow of water to approximately half a cumec which allowed Fish & Game to get in there with its specialised electric fishing machinery to capture the trout and other species, in the quickest, most humane way.

Hawker said he was very impressed with the condition and size of the trout, with some of the adults estimated to be between 6-8lb. The salvage results included; 55 adult trout, 22 juvenile trout, and 15 native species including eel and galaxiids; All were relocated into the Harper River’s main flow.

ENDS

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