Fishing News >November 2007

Second Clutha River Access Study Completed

A second assessment of public access available to the Clutha River has been completed and goes to Otago Fish and Game Council as a report in late November 2007.  The first study, on the upper Clutha, was conducted jointly by Fish and Game and Clutha Sports Fisheries Trust, based in Cromwell.  That work has progressed to an implementation phase that has seen several unformed or partially formed roads identified and fenced, providing secure access to the river.  Clutha Fisheries Trust plan to publish a pamphlet on Upper Clutha Access before Christmas.

The Lower Clutha work, undertaken by Fish and Game Officer Richard Fitzpatrick, again demonstrates how important roads are in providing public access to waterways.  The lower river generally has an abundance of public access except for the Clutha river mouth area and the river reach between Roxburgh and Millers Flat.  Over 50 roads were investigated using computer mapping software and site visits.  Of those about 2/3 were considered to have good attributes for anglers access.

Follow up work will include clarification of the location of roads with adjacent landholders and additional signage where necessary.  A copy of the report will be sent to Clutha District Council, who manage the roading network in the area, and to Government’s recently formed committee overseeing establishment of a public access agency to demonstrate the importance of roads for recreational access.

Public roads, whether formed, partially formed or unformed (the latter are sometimes called ‘paper’ roads and often cannot be distinguished fro adjacent land) are far and away the most important tool for resolving access difficulties in Otago.  The lower Clutha is already the subject of an access pamphlet that is available on the Otago page – www.fishandgame.org.nz

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