Trout Truck takes fish and environmental message to lake Pupuke

Fish & Game is set to make a splash with its colourful ‘Live Trout Truck’ – when it carries out its annual release of catchable trout into lake Pupuke on Auckland’s North Shore tomorrow (Friday April 27th)

Eleven hundred young trout – 1000 two year-old rainbows – and 100 one year-old brown trout are being released into the lake at Sylvan Park.

The trout will be transported from Fish & Game’s hatchery at Ngongotaha near Rotorua to the urban lake, in the “hard-to-miss” Trout Truck.

The vehicle is a specialised trout transporter fitted with oxygen stainless steel tanks, which can carry up to 5000 fish at a time. But it doubles as an eye-catching mobile billboard pushing environmental messages.

The truck has colourful decals which reflect Fish & Game’s strong environmental advocacy where water quality is concerned. One slogan reads ‘Keep our waters pure and clean.’

The vehicle also throws down a challenge to anglers or would-be anglers, with the teasing message across the back: ‘catch me if you can.’

The Lake Pupuke fishing competition organised by Trout Unlimited in conjunction with the North Shore Fly Fishers Club will be held the next weekend (Saturday May 5th) from 7am to 3.30pm. There are no entry fee and lots of prizes, with the weigh-in to be held at the Sylvan Park Reserve (anglers taking part must have a current licence!

The competition provides Fish & Game with valuable information about fish numbers, size and condition – and attracts anglers from all over the region.
BACKGROUND:

About 100,000 fish a year are raised at Fish & Game’s Ngongotaha hatchery and carried to lakes all round the island.

Lake Pupuke was first stocked with rainbow trout in the 1880s, making it the first lake to be stocked in New Zealand, but as its water quality declined so did its attraction as a trout fishing lake.

Today its water quality has improved dramatically due to Auckland Regional Council environmental work in the lake’s catchment area.

There are about eight species of fish in the lake including trout, perch, tench, rudd and catfish. A sports fishing licence is required to fish for trout, perch, tench and rudd, which can be purchased from sports shops or online at:www.fishandgame.org.nz

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