Here in New Zealand the Government department of Conservation hasembarked on a programme which they hope will eradicate, or at leastseverely limit the areas in which coarse fish are found. Coarse fishwere, in the case of golden carp, catfish, and tench, introduced toNew Zealand waters between 1880 and 1890 as a food source for earlysettlers. Rudd and Koi carp were added to the waters around 1960.
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Koi carp have established themselves well, and are in largenumbers in many waterways with specimens reported up to 65 pounds. The Conservation Department has classified Koi carp as a noxious pestand are using them as an excuse for poisoning lakes and waterwayswith ROTENONE. This kills ALL fish – native as well as exotic, butthat doesn’t seem to matter to the bureaucrats. Because coarsefishermen are few in numbers it is easy to promote the idea thatcoarse fish are an ecological disaster in New Zealand, without manydissenting voices.
There are few studies on the impact of coarse fish in New Zealandto support their view, but they are a government department withplenty of money to support their ideas.
The coarse fishing clubs arrange free fishing days where we teachyoungsters how to catch fish and these are very successful, with thelast one attracting over 165 young people to a local lake to learn. Now when you go to the lake, you see these young people with low costrods and reels and a tin of sweetcorn, having a great day.
Native fish are small in numbers and size, so when they clean thelake out, that will be the end of fishing for these youngsters. Theagenda seems to be that all exotic fish (including trout and salmon)should be removed from the lakes and rivers. It is an impossibletask, but may well eradicate some native fish in the process. We,the coarse fishing federation in New Zealand, are making strongrepresentations in many areas but the programme seems to marchrelentlessly on. The future for coarse fish and fishing in NewZealand does not look good.
Barry Gausden
President of the New Zealand Coarse Fishing Federation
