SENIOR RESEARCH OFFICER TO STUDY FISH AT KAIMATA

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 September 1949, Page 4

SENIOR RESEARCH OFFICER TO STUDY FISH AT KAIMATA

The Marine Department agrees that a study of the fish population above and below the Kaimata dam on the Arnold river would yield results applicable throughout New Zealand, stated a letter received by the Grey District Acclimatisation Society at its’ monthly meeting last evening. It added that the senior research officer of the department, at the request of the society, would make a study of the locality in February, and sought co-operation in collecting data in the area. At the Kaimata dam a fish bridge has not been provided since the dam was heightened in 1934 and research will be carried out to determine the effect of this on the trout and eel population above and below the dam. The department stated that trout stocks in the upper reaches could be affected in two ways, first, by directly reducing the trout stock by preventing the return upstream of spawning fish, and, secondly, by preventing the access of eels, which would reduce predation and competition for food matter, Informatian as to the restriction of. fish movement caused by the dam and as to the condition of stock above the dam was sought by the department. The society decided to solicit the co-operation of residents in the locality and to issue a details diary with fishing licences for the forthcoming season to enable anglers to record fish landed.