150,000 fish released for 150yr commemoration

Media release from West Coast Fish & Game

150,000 fish released for 150yr commemoration

Fish & Game West coast are currently releasing 150,000 sportsfish in commemoration of 150yrs of Acclimatisation in NZ. The upcoming 2011 season marks 150yrs since the first acclimatisation societies were formed in NZ. Arguments still abound whether Auckland or Wanganui was the first society but acclimatisation on the West Coast wasn’t far behind. Records indicate that releases of sportsfish were occurring in the late 1800’s. Richard John Seddon (more affectionately known as King Dick), our popular MP who was later to become Prime Minister, was renowned for bringing back fish from the Masterton Hatchery on his return from Parliament. Between 1879 – 90 he rarely returned from a trip to Wellington without a piscatorial component to his travelling baggage. Records from that era report him successfully accomplishing the live transfer not only of perch but also brook char and salmon ova. Apart from the absence of tench and any records as to their introduction in Westland it would appear that King Dick was uncannily accurate when he wrote to the early acclimatisation societies stating “with your ranges stocked with deer, rivers teeming with Trout and Salmon, your lakes with Perch and Tench, the West Coast will be the pleasure ground of the colony”.

In 1990 the former acclimatisation societies were superceeded by Fish & Game but the same founding principles have been carried through to present day. Elected anglers and hunters who are passionate about their sport still govern locally and as such sportsfish and gamebirds still carry special status in law to this day. Fish & Game West Coast Manager Dean Kelly stated that “As Acclimatisation Societies were in their day, Fish & Game are all about recreational use of the outdoors, hunting and fishing are now engrained in the New Zealand culture and free and enduring access to them is protected in legislation. It is a credit to the insight of our forebears and the envy of anglers and hunters from around the world that we have some of the best hunting and freshwater sportsfishing in the world.”

Current releases are focusing on Salmon into established rearing areas in the Taramakau and Hokitika catchments to boost the sea-run fishery. Over the last two years there have also been releases of trout and Salmon into established lake fisheries. Large flood events in fragile spawning areas frequently devastate wild fishery recruitment so releases can compensate for these losses. Mr Kelly said that “The goal has been to release these 150,000 fish to enhance the great resource we currently have. The fruits of which are already being seen in improved catchrates in some of these fisheries. It’s never been a better time to get into fishing on the ‘Coast”

Fish & Game have also been releasing fish into the Kawhaka Race on the old Christchurch road to establish an enhanced fishery for junior anglers. It has been stocked for the upcoming season with prime rainbows so Fish & Game are encouraging families and juniors to get in quick at the start of the season on Saturday October 1st.

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