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October 03, 2023
Ōkataina trout get breathing space from clam threat
Gideon Porter
Posted On October 3, 2023
Download AudioThe trout fishing season opened on Sunday, but one of Rotorua’s premier trophy lakes is about of bounds for the first month.
At the request of Ngāti Tarāwhai, Biosecurity New Zealand has closed Lake Ōkataina to boating and fishing until boat cleaning facilities are installed.
The aim is to keep the lake, which has only one road in, free of the Asian golden clam which is now ravaging parts of the Waikato River and overwhelming native species and plants.
Te Arawa Lakes Trust deputy chair Rangitihi Pene says other iwi are looking closely at what they can do to keep the invasive shellfish out of their moana.
“Given that a hundred kilometre stretch of the Waikato River is now infested – and we do get a significant number of boaties coming across from the Waikato – I would say yes, what you just said was correct; it would be very difficult for us to keep them out forever,” he says.
The rāhui should remind people of the need to observe good biosecurity practice when moving between waterways, and offer a breathing space as people look for long term mitigation strategies.
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