Taking a Fish Eye View of Trout Numbers

Eastern Region Fish & Game officers have been taking a fish’s eye view of trout numbers in East Coast rivers.

Staff have carried out drift dives in the Ruakituri and Hangaroa rivers, last surveyed more than 10 years ago. A drift dive involves snorkel-equipped officers swimming down river in formation, counting trout as they go.

Fish & Game have just begun a three year monitoring program of the back country rivers on the East coast to gauge their trout populations.

And Fish & Game Officer Matt Osborn says they're keen to reassess the populations following reports of heavy flooding over recent seasons.

“We had planned to drift dive the Waioeka River but the big slip ruled this out – because of access issues in the gorge, and sediment cutting visibility in the river.” Matt says that an extra site on the Hangaroa River was added in when the Waioeka River was ruled out.

Three sites on the Ruakituri were surveyed, two in the upper River near Papuni Station, and one in the mid-section of the river. The Ruakituri will be dived again next summer along with the Waioeka – when the slip’s been cleared and the river running low with good underwater visibility.

ENDS

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