Lahar kills Manganui a Te Ao trout

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 13, Issue 606, 3 October 1995, Page 9

Lahar kills Manganui a Te Ao trout

A volcanic mud flow from Mt Ruapehu came down the Mangaturturu Glacier into the Mangaturturu Stream, polluting it and the Manganui a Te Ao last Wednesday, 27 September. The mud flow was highly acidic and carried a large quantity of fine volcanic ash. The Manganui-a-t-ao River is the best trout fishing river in the district. A survey of the Manganui-a-t-ao river on Thursday revealed that the volcanic mud had killed many hundreds of fish in the river as well as affecting the aquatic insects and the blue ducks (whio) which feed entirely on the river forcing them to migrate to the tributary streams. The district fishing season opened on Sunday and there would be many disappointed anglers who were looking

forward to visiting the river on opening day , said Taranaki Fish and Game Council representative Harry Brown. It is not known how long the river will be polluted and until the river clears it will be impossible to survey the trout population. To assist the fishery to recover the Taranaki Fish and Game Council urges anglers who catch fish in any of the tributaries to adopt a catch-and-release programme. Volcanic mudflows killed all the fish in the river in July 1969 and 1975 but it has recovered in time, to be a nationally renowned fishery. Other rivers in the area are unnaffected by the lahars, so some good fishing remains.