MTI Fish Assit in Northland Lake Clean-upMTI Fish Assist in Northland Lake Clean-up850 grass carp supplied to the Northland Regional Council by Mahurangi Technical Institutes aquaculture research facility were released into Kaipara’s Lake Rotouauru (also known as Lake Swan) in a bid to wipe out two invasive weeds threatening some of the nation’s most precious dune lakes. The 17.4 hectare lake contains the aquatic weeds Hornwort and Egeria (an oxygen weed) which already form large dense mats in the 5.5 metre deep lake, are smothering native plants and seriously degrading an important habitat for native fish, plants and birds. The dune lakes in this area are home to the endangered Dwarf Inanga, Galaxias gracilis. This species occurs naturally in only seven lakes in the whole world. Originally introduced in 1963 Grass Carp are now bred at Mahurangi Technical Institutes Aquaculture education and research facility in Warkworth using technology intensive methods in the laboratory. They are one of the most cost-effective and environmentally sustainable options for eradicating aquatic weeds. Grass carp only eat plants, (eating up to their own body weight in plant material each day in summer), are unable to breed naturally in New Zealand waters and have already been used to successfully manage aquatic weeds in many other NZ lakes.. The project, funded by the Northland Regional Council, saw 850 grass carp trucked up from Warkworth to the North Kaipara Head lake and successfully released by representatives from Mahurangi Technical Institute, Te Uri o Hau, the community and local school. Below: Adrian Paarman, Chief Systems Engineer at MTIs Aquaculture Research & Education Facility, is assisted by a young local community member in releasing Grass Carp at North Kaipara Head Lake (Swan Lake).
Below: Check out the video footage from the day: |
|
|
||||||||
