Anglers urged to go fishing in the name of research

Wellington anglers are being urged to keep an eye out for tagged trout whilst fishing over the summer holidays.

Wellington Fish & Game manager Phil Teal says local anglers have been great in getting behind the project which provides important information for managing the region's fisheries and ensuring they are sustainble into the future.

“The trout are marked with a small yellow numbered tag, and their length and weight details noted, as is the location of the catch and release. If and when they are caught again, Fish & Game will have information on how far brown and rainbow trout have travelled and the growth rates for that particular river.”

Mr Teal points out such information can provide an idea about the health of the river system because trout are a key indicator species of good water quality.

There are currently several hundred fish tagged in the Manawatu, Ruamahanga, and Rangitikei river catchments.

“We are appealing to anglers who subsequently catch a tagged trout to get the details to us, including accurate information on length, weight and location of the catch and whether it was released.

“It might even provide an excuse for some anglers to head off fishing for the afternoon... all the name of research, of course."

Mr Teal says the start of summer is traditionally when more anglers get out on the rivers, and the waters in the Wellington region are looking great for trout fishing at the moment having been refreshed with a few recent rain events.

ENDS

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