FISHING ACCESS TO FULL JAMES CAMP

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 165, 25 March 1955, Page 1

FISHING ACCESS TO FULL JAMES CAMP

tj? ■ Blocked By Lands Department Fencing ; On Tuesday last, March 15, a local angler reported to the Taupo Tinies |that it appeared that the motor trade glving the cnly access to the yastern side of the Waikato River, at iflie spot known as Pnlljaines Oainp, |was about to be fenced aeross in the |g0ui\se of ihe farnham] developinent rheing carried out )>y Ihe Lands and Slirvey Deparf nienf , norlh of Taupo. |t j Tiifoi'ination received >n the foldowing Thursday was to ihe effeot .that tlie fence had been erected, tiear the sinai 1 creek crossed hy the inotor track, close to the Waikato lliver, about Oue mile north of the iJpoint where the track leaves the ^rtppo- Aratiatia Rapids Road. f The Tinies rang Mr S. A. McPsaiiiara, the Conservator of WiM | £*" 'Life, Rotorua, on Wednesday, March :1G, in connection with the report received, but Mr McNamara was at Jiiat tinie unaware ihat access to Ihe fishing waters reached by the Fu'Ljames Camp track was threatened by the land development fencing programme. He said that he would cbfein a report on the position at once. ^Considerable concern flas already ibeen expressed amongst anglers in .Taupo over the possibility that acbess to the Waikato River in the locality mentioned may be permanently endangered. In conversation with the Times, Mr Ian Logan, secretary of the Taupo Hod and Gun Club, stated that the track gives access to the only water in the district where Jpinning or bait-casting may be had. Further, it provides the best dry-fly Jshing in the district, there being in rfact very few other places where the dry-fly can be. used, while it is also of course a well-known wet-fly fishing locality.

Mr Logan stated that it would be safe to say that about 90 per cent. of the anglers who bought Rotorua Jicenses in Taupo did so in.order to Ish from the Fulljamqs Camp area (the fishing water in question being In the Rotorua Fishery District). Many overseas anglers who fly-fished irom Taupo did much of their fishing in the area. | It appears that the motor track tvhich has now been blocked by the fencing is not a public road, although the road from Taupo past the Spa, and as far as the vantage point from Which - the Aratiatia Rapids are viewed, on the east side of the river, wP | The track has, however, been used for tnany years by anglers to gain hccess to the river. Several miles of fishing water are affected, and local anglers point out that it is only from the eastern side of the river that this Water may be reached, for on the western side access is prevented by the fact that tlre land there is controlled by forestry interests. | It is also pointed out that the whole matter of access to fishing Waters in the Taupo district has been before the reeent Annual Conference between • angling organisations and Fishery Officers. I Sorne time ago, a Taupo angler tecalled, considerable dissatisfaction fas caused amongst anglers when access to the Wiotaka Stream through the 1-Iaut.u Prison Farm was jfosed. The present prospect of the fishing from the Fulljames Camp track being also lost by DepartSnentgl action, this angler said, 'was fiismaying. He considered that the pportance of the fishing in the district ought to be brought home to ill Departments, so that, before any

work was ) lanned that might affect the fishing or access to it, the Depart* ment concerned shotild be required to consult with the fisheries branch of the Internal Affairs Department. The Taupo Rod and Gun Club, said its secretary, Mr Logan, is consicjering the best course to take in bfinging the matter before the authorities concerned, and in preliininary discussions to-day members wero hopeful that sonie way of ensuring that access was not lost would be foaud. As far as tliey could ascertain at present, however, there did not appear to be any plan for providing access through the fence, and it was imderstood that another fence would cross the track at a point still closer to the Aratiatia Rapids Road.