Fishing News index > January 2007

North Canterbury News Round-up

Steve Terry, Fish and Game NZ

Salmon By-catch
Monitoring of salmon by-catch in the Salmon Exclusion Zone started on 7 Dec 06. A recent graduate with a major in marine biology was appointed to the position of Fish and Game verifier.

Fish Rescue
With assistance from the Float Fishing Club, staff salvaged 1000 Tench from a pond at end of Harewood Road, which was being filled in by CIAL. The tench were transported to Kaiapoi Lakes. A salvage check of the Kirk Road water race shutdown (S.D.C.) revealed only one small trout in a pool. 14 adult Rainbow trout (post-spawners) were salvaged from two culverts at Lake Georgina and returned to the lake.

Salmon Enhancement Program
Approximately 80,000 salmon fry are growing well at Montrose. Some of these will be released into Lake Coleridge as raceway capacity becomes full. NIWA kindly donated 40,000 salmon smolt surplus to their requirement which were released into Lake Coleridge in late December. An additional 50,000 fry have been transported to the newly established Rangitata hatchery to get them started.

Trout Stocking Program
Approximately 50,000 rainbow trout are growing well on a new feeding system designed by Edgar Russ. The New Zealand King Salmon Company are kindly donating food to grow these trout.

Canada Goose Control
Two nesting shoots, and a “Lake Grasmere” style shoot were held at Lake Forsyth, involving 120 recreational hunters, and removed 63+52+285 (= 400) geese and 222 eggs. This meant that the planned moult cull of 400 geese on Lake Forsyth was not necessary.

The Christchurch City Council has agreed to the re-instatement of Canada Goose Hunting on the Bromley Farm, with slight modifications to the proposal prepared by Ross Millichamp. The changes will see increased hunter visits overall but less during winter when wading birds are present.

Moulting culls were carried out at Lake Ellesmere and the Christchurch estuary early in January.

Resource Consents

After hearing submissions the Selwyn District Council may grant, grant with conditions, or refuse the land use consents. The SDC’s decision can then be appealed to the Environment Court.

The designation covers the intakes, Waianiwaniwa Valley dam, headrace canals, and public roads. Designations are different from a land use consent in the following ways:
-They allow for compulsory acquisition of lands
-They can stop people doing things on their own land
-They may not require the same degree of ‘certainty’ about what is being proposed (i.e. when seeking a designation CPW may not have to specify exactly what they intend to do on people’s land, or how they intend to do it).

The decision-making process for designations is different. After hearing submissions the SDC “recommends” to CPW that the designation is confirmed, modified, have conditions on it, or that they withdraw it. CPW then advise the SDC whether they accept the recommendation or reject it (in whole or in part). They can also modify it either if SDC recommends such a modification, or if it is “not inconsistent” with the requirement as notified. It is actually the decision of the requiring authority that can then be appealed to the Environment Court.

Many of Fish & Game’s concerns relate to the regional council consent applications (e.g. to take water). However we will certainly lodge a submission on the land use consent and designation applications. Likely matters covered in our submission will include:
-Inconsistency of proposal with regional policy statement and plan provisions.
-Insufficient information provided to allow Fish & Game to properly assess scheme effects and the effectiveness of proposed mitigation.
-Degradation of public access to and along rivers (including the Waimakariri and Rakaia) caused by structures, canals etc.
-Significant effects of structures, canals etc. on natural character, visual amenity, and scenic values.

Proposed Natural Resources Regional Plan (PNRRP)
Jason attended three PNRRP hearings recently, covering the introductory section of the Water Quality Chapter, the definitions section (which applies to all chapters) and the introductory section of the Water Quantity chapter.

Restorative Program for Lowland Streams
Ross Millichamp continues to represent Fish & Game on this working party, which has included attendance at three public meetings aimed at informing consent holders of likely changes to their conditions. These include the creation of variable season abstraction limits linked to the state of the groundwater resource, minimum flow rules for abstractions affecting river flows and a requirement to meter all takes. A consultation meeting with recreational users will be held in the New Year.

Boggy Creek
Sheep were reintroduced to the reserve after 4 years without grazing. Expressions of interest were initially sought in late September following a public notice in The Press and a local newspaper. 12 farmers contacted Jason to express interest. Each received an information pack and were advised that tenders were sought by 27 October. Tenderers were asked to include a bid, a brief note about their farming experience in the area, and comment on the proposed agreement. 3 tenders were received each being of very similar quality, and after a site visit with the preferred tenderer, an agreement was quickly reached.

Sheep grazing will provide an additional source of income and tidy up the property without causing adverse environmental effects. The property will remain open to the public and the rights currently enjoyed by gamebird hunters will not be affected.

Other recent improvements include a sign at the entrance reminding visitors to shut the gate to prevent stock escape, reinstallation of a culvert enabling access to the northern corner of the property and repairs to fencing. Work planned prior to opening weekend 2007 includes drain clearing, fixing badly rutted vehicle tracks, and willow removal and native plantings along Boggy Creek (the latter part-funded from ECan’s Environment Enhancement Fund). These initiatives should greatly enhance the Boggy Creek experience for gamebird hunters and the general public.

Didymo
Staff have installed a Didymo Closed Waters sign at Broken River end of Winding Creek, following a suggestion form the public. The compliance checks of other Didymo Closed Waters are ongoing. A Didymo flushing kit has been installed in the F&G jet boat. Pump bottles of Didymo cleaner containing detergent to make up a 5% solution have been put together to give away. Ross and Davor attended a Didymo Forum hosted by Biosecurity New Zealand and Meridian Energy. Ross has attended a number of Canterbury Didymo Strategy meetings at Environment Canterbury which has attempted to co-ordinate the Didymo strategy for the summer season.

Young Angler Training
800 yearling salmon and 500 yearling rainbow trout are growing well at Montrose and have been periodically transferred to the Groynes over the summer. New Zealand King Salmon have generously offered food to on-grow these salmon. The annual Take a Kid Fishing Day was held in October and was another great success with a large turnout of families. Staff assisted with planning, fish transport, and compliance on the day. Staff also assisted volunteers in planning and hosting a fishing day at the Groynes for children with learning disabilities.

Club Relations
Martin Clements accompanied staff at the committee meeting of the North Canterbury Game Shooters Club to discuss current situation with the increased Canada Geese numbers and imminent moult culls over the Christmas period. After a constructive discussion the Club committee gave its support to Fish and Game’s efforts to control the numbers of geese in our region. Ross Millichamp gave a presentation on geese and other issues to the Christchurch Rod and Gun Club.

Statutory Liaison
Staff attended an Honorary Enforcement Officers training meeting at ECAN (Boating By-laws). Staff met with DoC staff to discuss the rudd eradication program. It was agreed that DoC will come back to F&G with a proposal for further eradication initiatives and mitigation measures where sports fish populations (tench and perch) could be affected.

Landowner Liaison
Ross Millichamp has met with the Fonterra Environmental representative about dairy issues in the Hurunui and Waiau Rivers. Ross has continued to work on the Canterbury Farm Environment Awards management Committee, which has included training farm judges about environmental issues.

Media Relations
Ross Millichamp was interviewed by TV3 for a story on Didymo and the salmon spawning stream closures.

Public Liaison
Ross Millichamp gave a presentation to a water allocation conference at the University of Canterbury.

Ranging
Staff and honorary rangers carried out an organised compliance operation at the opening weekend of the western zone lakes, including Hurunui Lakes, Lake Lyndon and the Coleridge lakes. North West conditions on the Sunday deterred most anglers from fishing

Rangers
Warrants for four new applicants and one transferee have been approved. One new application is still in process. This will bring our compliance team up to 33 when completed.

Prosecution
Jeffrey James Bartram was prosecuted in the Christchurch District Court for catching sports fish without a licence and providing false information. He was convicted and fined $910. The Honorary Ranger involved was Warren Pender.