Trolove believes over-irrigation could be to blame. Through the sustained low flows associated with the irrigation we ve had mud and sediment build up, he said.
Irrigation New Zealand says they re working collaboratively on a project to assess the impact irrigation may be having. I think what s concerning is that if there are multiple impacts on a species we need to really understand what they are so we can work together right across the spectrum to ensure we are doing what we can to protect our native species, Irrigation NZ Chief Executive Elizabeth Soal said.
Little is known about the species - DoC started surveying them again just three months ago.
Sunday, 17 January 2021, 3:29 pm
A drastic decline in an important native fish in New
Zealand has been matched by a similar decline in a similar
species in the USA.
On the east coast of the South
Island Stokell’s smelt is the species of the rivers of the
Canterbury coastline, which until relatively recently,
occurred in huge numbers from about Canterbury’s Waiau
River south to North Otago s Waitaki River.
However
depletion of river flows due to irrigation in rivers such as
the Rangitata, Ashburton, and Rakaia Rivers where the smelt
was most abundant, has seen a drastic decline in numbers,