More crays die in stream
Hundreds of freshwater crayfish have mysteriously perished in a Putaruru stream - for the second time in a year.
A pesticide spraying operation was blamed for the deaths of hundreds of freshwater crayfish in Oraka Stream in December 2016.
Waikato Regional Council test results have yet to come back for a second incident in the same stream just last month.
Council incident response manager Patrick Lynch said they were alerted in December by a member of the public who saw the crayfish [koura], ‘‘tumbling’’ down Oraka Stream.
The stream is popular for fishing and a food source for some locals. The local iwi is amongst those concerned at the poisoned fish life.
Raukawa Settlement Trust chair Vanessa Eparaima, who represents local iwi, said concerns remained high.
‘‘We remain very concerned by the death of kōura in Oraka Stream last month - the second time this has occurred in consecutive years,’’ she said.
‘‘It is an opportune time to remind all in the community of the importance of monitoring what goes into our waterways and the need to be alert to any problems that may be noticed and to ensure the right authorities are involved when environmental issues are identified.’’
The regional council has alerted the Ministry of Health and Ministry for Primary Industries and samples have been sent to Australia for analysis. No official heath warning has been issued.
However, Waikato District Health Board medical officer of health Dr Felicity Dumble said there was no cause for alarm.
‘‘The koura deaths that occurred in the Oraka Stream were traced to a spraying operation for a form of beetle on eucalyptus,’’ she said.
‘‘The pesticide used contained a pyrethroid. Pyrethroids are the main ingredient in many household insecticides therefore no public health risk was evident due to humans needing a vastly significant level to even pose a slight risk.’’
Dumble said she was not aware of anyone’s health being affected by the event.
Lynch said the council did not have a firm date as to when full analysis of samples would be completed.
He said the council was continuing to formally investigate the incident and the one reported in December 2016.
‘‘In both cases, it appears only freshwater crayfish have been affected. Though exact numbers are not known, last month’s incident seems to be of a similar scale to the one in 2016,’’ he said.