2008 Salmon Spawning Surveys.
Hamish Stevens, Fish and Game Officer.

With the regular fishing season now over in many waters both trout and salmon can get on with the job of spawning uninterrupted. The Rangitata River experienced its best salmon run for many years and most anglers finished the season satisfied with their catch. The Rangitata has two main spawning streams located in its headwaters, those being Deep Creek (Mt Potts) and Deep Stream (Mesopotamia). Together they contribute about 93% of all surveyed salmon spawning in the Rangitata. Three live fish counts have been completed so far and while the first and second counts were lower than expected the last count showed a marked increase in salmon activity. A total of 1,518 live fish were counted in the latest survey, which is well up on last year’s peak of 1,008. Redd (nest) counts are carried out in early June by Fish and Game staff and volunteers so if you are keen to help contact the office on (03) 615 8400. 

Fish salvage was required during the Rangiata Diversion Race (RDR) shutdown to commission the BAFF (Bio Acoustic Fish Fence) system. 73 adult salmon were salvaged along with 180 trout. A large majority of the salmon were unspawned and some were very large putting our salvage nets to the test! All fish were returned to the Rangitata due to the presence of didymo in the RDR. The shutdown was a short lived one and water is now running through the RDR again. The commissioning of the BAFF system is particularly important this year due to the high number of returning salmon. Once operable the BAFF system will screen juvenile salmon out of the race and back into the Rangitata River so they can continue their journey to sea.
 
 
Peter McCaskill with one of many unspawned salmon salvaged from the RDR, note the absence of an adipose fin, suggesting this fish is from hatchery raised stock. 
 
 
“Salmon leap for joy as they are returned to the Rangitata River”
 Photo by P McCaskill

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