Source: Radio New Zealand
The small farming township of Rakaia’s river was once internationally-recognised for its abundant sea-run chinook salmon and other aquatic species, but population numbers have since drastically declined. Steve Terry
It’s hoped a new $1.7 million wetland in Mid Canterbury will improve the once-thriving salmon run in the Rakaia River.
For the past 70 years, Glenariffe Stream – considered a key salmon-spawning site in the braided river – has been diverted to drain farmland.
The stream contributed around 18 percent of the wild chinook salmon that returned to spawn in the river.
For the small farming township of Rakaia, south of Christchurch, its river was once internationally-recognised for its abundant sea-run chinook salmon and other aquatic species, but population numbers have since drastically declined.
Now, three large high country farms have retired hundreds of hectares of land to return the river’s eastern branch to its original course, pre-agricultural expansion.
Forty-four hectares of the wetland habitat have also been restored.
With Fish and Game the project lead, its North Canterbury project manager, Steve Terry, said [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/571617/fish-and-game-family-fishing-licences-to-undergo-changes-to-remove-historic-anomaly
protecting spawning habitat] was one of the few levers available to help the fishery recover.
“Salmon numbers are at historic lows not just in Canterbury but across New Zealand’s East Coast rivers, with unfavourable, warmer ocean conditions among the key drivers of decline.”
He said while the ocean and climate could not be controlled, the efforts would ensure that when salmon do return to the Rakaia to spawn, their offspring have the best possible habitat.
“Glenariffe Stream is one of the river’s most significant spawning tributaries, and for 70 years it simply wasn’t functioning as it should. Getting it back to its natural course is a major step forward for the fishery,” Terry said.
The McIntyre wetland project was named after the late James McIntyre, who bequeathed $550,000 to the project.
Meanwhile, taxpayers fronted $784,000 towards the three-year project under the Ministry for the Environment’s freshwater improvement fund.
Double Hill Station retired 77 hectares of wetlands and waterways, Redcliffes Station stopped farming on 59 hectares of wetlands and native scrub, and a 200-hectare QEII covenant protecting the Hydra Waters for Mount Algidus Station.
Distressed anglers were raising the alarm about the Rakaia’s abysmal fish stocks and degraded river quality and flow, and were currently limited to catching just one salmon.
The Rakaia River. Supplied
For the first time in 40 years, organisers of the annual Rakaia River Fishing competition did not weigh in any fish to allow the fishery to recover.
But Hunting and Fishing Minister James Meager said a range of options to help restore state of the fishery were being considered with Fish and Game.
“We have had some concerns over the stock of the fishery there in terms of sea-run salmon.”
But he said it was all about balancing the economic drivers with environmental outcomes.
Meager said a water conservation order in place here provided guardrails, so farmers could irrigate within safe environmental limits.
He said irrigators had high standards, and he hoped Resource Management Act reform would see consenting for water storage eased.
“It’s all a balance though, of course, because we have to generate enough economic activity in the region, and we know that water is a big part of that in Mid-Canterbury, while balancing that off against the environmental outcomes that we want to achieve,” Meager said.
“So particularly for this project, it reaches a good balance.”
When asked if the economic drivers versus environmental impacts were unbalanced, he said he did not think so.
“If you look at the progress that’s been made over the past 10, 20, 30 years in terms of farming practice, in terms of the awareness of our activity and the impact on the environment, I actually think we’ve come a long way.”
Meanwhile, environmental critics including fish veterinarian Peter Trolove said salmon returns were excellent before the privatisation of public grazing runs, following the High Country tenure review.
Published back at the turn of the millennium, the Glenariffe stream’s tenure review warned that land‑use changes could worsen river sedimentation, water quality deterioration and habitat loss-issues.
The Salmon Anglers Association will hold a meeting about the future of the fishery in Christchurch on Thursday.
The wetland restoration was a partnership with landowners, the Canterbury regional council, Cawthron Institute, Manawa Energy, Rakaia River Fishing Promptions and QEII Trust.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand