THE WAIWAKAIHO WEIR

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 229, 10 January 1911, Page 7

THE WAIWAKAIHO WEIR

AN UNLOOKED-FOR EFFECT ON TROUT.

A matter of considerable interest tol I anglers was discussed at the County Council meeting yesterday. Mr. J. E. Wilson (president of the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society) wrote as follows to tlio Council:—"l purposed waiting upon the Council this afternoon with reference to the weir at the Waiwakaiho bridge, but find that I am unable to do «o. On behalf of the Acclimatisation Society I wish to bring under your notice the fact that the establishment of the weir, while apparently serving the purpose for which it was intended, is having another and unlooked-for effect, in practically barring the run of trout from the sea up the Waiwakaiho river. As your membiirs are no doubt aware, fish naturally seek the higher waters of a river for the purpose of spawning, and laAer drop down again into the lower waters. As your weir stands at present, the fish cannot get beyond it except the river be running with a considerable flood, and even if they do get on the weir there is a very great danger of their getting entangled in the netting. It has been reported to me that dead fish have already been found on the weir, having been caught on,■their way over it. A simple and, I am advised, uninjurious method of making a fish run through or rather over the weir would be to take away the netting for a space of about two feet at about the middle, and like spaces at cither end of the weir, without disturbing the stones, and leaving the wire at the bottom untouched, so long as it does not project beyond the stones at the lower end. What is wanted is a space where the stones are not covered by the netting, and if we have two or three of these we think there will be no difficulty in the way of the fish passing to and fro when there is a fair amount of water in the stream. In asKing the Council to provide these fishways, I would like to point out that our society has expended a considerable amount of money, and its members a very great deal of time and trouble in fostering the supply of fish in our streams, an.l that this has been going on for a, great number of years. The weir, if it remains at present, will nullify a great deal of the work done, by preventing the free run of fish, while at the same time it will prove to be a trap for those fish which try to get over it. I would ask your Council to deal with this matter at this meeting, and to give instructions that what 1 have indicated be put into effect at once. It is essential that, if anything is to be done it should be done at once, for the fish will be beginning to seek the higher waters at any time now." It was resolved that the Council has no objection to Mr. Wilson's proposal, provided Mr. E. A. Clements (who constructed the weir) and the Fitzroy Town Board agree that the suggestion of the Acclimatisation Society can be carried out without risk to the weir and without cost to the Council.