Trout moved to protect native fish

A six-year project that has already relocated more than 2300 trout in the Mackenzie Basin will soon get extra help.

The collaborative programme between the Department of Conservation, Environment Canterbury and landowners, has removed 1457 brown trout and 40 rainbow trout from the western side of Fork Stream, and 517 brown trout and 340 rainbow trout from the eastern side.

The aim is to protect rare native fish in tributaries leading to Fork Stream and has been done through the development of special weirs which form a barrier to prevent invasive trout moving up waterways. The trout are relocated to other parts of Fork Stream below the barriers.

The project has been operating for several years, but now Te

Manahuna Aoraki, a multi-agency project with the ambition of turning the Mackenzie Basin into a predator free zone, wants to join.

Te Manahuna Aoraki director Fiona McNab said they were looking forward to seeing it progress.

‘‘The stream and tributaries are important for species like the upland longjaw galaxias which use the area as spawning habitat. It is a rare habitat which supports what are becoming increasingly rare species,’’ she said.

ECan southern zone leader Chris Eccleston said the two fish barriers leave a safe space for the native fish to thrive.

DOC senior biodiversity ranger Dean Nelson said ‘‘we haven’t quite got it knocked on the head, but it’s been a really collaborative project’’.

‘‘The native fish in that stream tend to stay in the same spot, so removing the trout protects them. Trout have been unfortunately prolific in that stream until recently.’’

Eccleston said conditions can make visits to the remote site challenging.