Fishing News index>April 2007

Freshwater biodiversity advice service re-funded

Nelson/Marlborough Fish & Game are delighted to report to licence holders that the free freshwater biodiversity advisory service within the region has received further funding from the government to enable the service to now continue until August 2008.

The service focuses principally on areas such as wetland creation and enhancement, improving stream health, fish passage, fish surveys and other similar watery topics. Advice can include provision of information, onsite visits, assessment of practicalities/opportunities, information gathering (including levels for wetland construction), assistance with resource consent processes/fees, contractor advice, planting advice and plant donation. Over the last 3 years or so, over a dozen new wetlands have been created within the Tasman region, with many more planned. The aggregate industry has been the driving force behind some of the bigger wetland projects.

More recently, involvement in a number of water quality/stream care projects has also been undertaken, including the Sherry River, a catchment of the Motueka River, as part of the Integrated Catchment Management Program currently underway in this area. Several hundred sedge plants from the Fish and Game shade house were also donated to the Murchison stream care group for their excellent work on tributary streams of the Buller catchment near Murchison.

Future involvement with the construction of small on farm wetlands to treat diffuse source pasture runoff from dairy farms is also being explored as part of the service. Pilot investigation work is currently being undertaken in the Motupipi Stream catchment in Golden Bay, in conjunction with Fonterra, Landowners, Golden Bay residents and Tasman District Council.