CRAYFISH IN TAUPO WATERS

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 56, 11 February 1953, Page 1

CRAYFISH IN TAUPO WATERS

WHO MAY CATCH KOURA? For some years past it has been the eustom for picnickers and othet visitors to Taupo to catch the native Koura or crayiish, which by many is esteemed a great delieaey. Mx Arthur Grace has informed us that he has for some time received enquiries from Maoris as to whethei it was legal for Europeans to take the koura in Taupo waters, and that recently in order to clarify the posi- j cion he wrote to Mr S. McNamara, j the Conservator of Wild Life, Roto- j ma. Mr McNamara has now writ- j ,en informing Mr Grace that a spec- j xal act provides that Maoris may take the koura in Taupo waters at any time, but that Europeans are not entitled to do so. The backgTOund of the matter iies j in the fiact that when the Govern- j ment some years ago made an agreement with the Maori people of the taupo Country as to the ceding to the Crown of ihe ownership of the Lake bed and to the bed of certain streams, they reserved for theniselves as one of the terms of the agreement their right to catch any mdigenous fish. The Act referred to gives statutory eftect to this agreement with the Maori people and is known as the Native Land Amendment and Native Land Claims Adjustment Act 1928. Section. 14 (2) provides as lollows, "There shall be reserved to the Natives the right to fish for and catch for their own use any indigenous fish in the said lake, but no such fish \ shall be sold exeept with the con- , sent of ihe Board hereiiiafter mentioncd. The sale of any such fish without consent shall be deemed to be I nnlawiul. . . J' The Board mentionid is the Tuwharetoa Trust Board. As Mr Grace has said in conversation with a Times representative, there is no cloubt that it is not generally known that the koura is thus proteeted from capture by Europeians.