| Fishing News index> July 2008
Waikakahi Stream Restoration.
Graeme Hughes.
The Waikakahi Stream was once a small locally important Brown trout fishery. The stream contained a population of Koura which produced excellent conditioned trout, prized for their orange flesh. During the last decade the stream has suffered badly due to an increase in dairy farming. High turbidity, sedimentation, poor water quality and mechanical cleaning saw the disappearance of the Koura and the condition factors in trout declined as did the total fish population. An agreement between land owners, Regional Council and Fish and Game began a very necessary restoration programme. Planting with assistance from the local school pupils, stock exclusion and cessation of mechanical cleaning by land owners has seen a slow improvement in water clarity and silt transportation. Central South Island staff have monitored the trout population since 2002. A progress report on Electric fishing results provides a brief history of the stream ands its inhabitants since 2002.
The Waikakahi Stream, once a locally important Brown Trout fishery, slowly improving as a result of a cooperative restoration programme
“Electro-fishing of the Waikakahi Stream continued for the 5th consecutive year. The stream is electro-fished at 3 sites at least 3 times a year . spring , summer and autumn. Electro-fishing trout is avoided during the spawning period due to disturbance of spawning adult fish, damage to redds and damage to adult fish in spawning condition
There has been no further on site meetings with ECAN, farmers and scientists and as a result no update to stream conditions has been received.
Observations during monitoring the population indicate that stock exclusion by fencing has significantly improved the substrate with increased areas of stony bed now visible. Possibly due to a lower silt loading, aquatic plant growth has been reduced. Dense beds of macrophytes increase water levels, slows water velocity and effects EFM catch rate.
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|
Year |
Adult |
Juvenile
|
|
2003 |
11 |
43 |
|
204 |
8 |
20 |
|
2005 |
7 |
57 |
|
2006 |
8 |
16 |
|
2007 |
22 |
25 |
|
2008 |
26 |
21 |
Fish condition is uniformly good, compared with the early catches in 2003, 2004 and 2005 when adult fish were generally poor. One juvenile rainbow trout (112mm) was captured in the upper electro-fishing site.
Recaptures, i.e. fish caught with tags from previous electro-fishing, are increasing, 3 in 2006, 5 in 2007 and 6 recaptures in 2008.
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