Government Misleading Public Over 1080 and Trout

Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations of New Zealand

The government, the Minister and Ministry of Primary Industries Report playing down of 1080 in trout is both deceptive and misleading says a national outdoor recreation organisation.

Bill Benfield, co-chairman of the Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations of NZ (CORANZ) said closer analysis of MPI's report shows the trout with 1080 residues are more dangerous to human health than was previously claimed.

"In a deft bit of sleight of hand, the MPI report diverts attention from the food to the human subject. In fact, by their own figures, the MPI shows that the food, the trout flesh from the Cawthron studies containing 4.7mg/kg exceeds New Zealand Food Safety Authority figures of 0.001mg/kg of 1080 by a staggering 4700 times," he said.

The trout flesh even exceeded the bottom line for human risk, the toxicological end point of 0.075mg/kg per day, by no less than 62.5 times.

"The fish is highly toxic and a human health hazard" he said.

CORANZ believed there were other potentially more dangerous paths for 1080 into the human food chain than mice, such as a trout eating a fresh water crayfish (koura) that do eat 1080 baits.

"Science several years ago revealed other dangerous levels of 1080 in freshwater aquatic life, showing 1080 can get into the human food chain via koura and eels as well as trout," said Bill Benfield.

A 2006 study on koura showed dangerous levels of poison in their flesh while a 2005 Landcare Research study on eels which scavenge poisoned animals in the water showed their flesh will substantially exceed minimum food safety standards.

"CORANZ believes all the New Zealand Government agencies and the Ministers involved have a duty to advise the public that eels, koura and trout can contain dangerous residues of 1080 in catchments where 1080 is being used," he said.

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