Many of New Zealand's freshwater fish species need to move within waterways, and some need to move between freshwater and the sea (e.g. whitebait and eels) as part of their life-cycle. They move to access habitats necessary to support different life-stages (e.g. reproduction and rearing) and ecological functions (e.g. feeding or finding refuge).
Instream structures, such as culverts, weirs and dams, can delay or prevent fish movements if not designed, installed or maintained well to provide passage. This can result in a reduction in the distribution and abundance of some of our most iconic and valued freshwater species.
Today, more than 70% of our native freshwater fish are at risk of or threatened with extinction.
The National Policy Statement for Freshwater 2020 provides local authorities with updated direction on how they should manage freshwater under the Resource Management Act 1991, including provisions for fish passage.
The National Environmental Standards for Freshwater 2020 regulate activities that pose risks to the health of freshwater and freshwater ecosystems, including fish passage risks.
This presentation will highlight the efforts of the NZ Fish Passage Advisory Group in supporting these fish passage policies and regulations providing lessons learnt and highlighting some of the opportunities for improvement available to environmental compliance officers to address some of the fish passage issues currently being faced on the ground.
WHEN
Wednesday 7th December, 3:00pm
FULL PROGRAMME
Click here to download the full programme
Presenters
Omar Seychell
National Environmental Manager - Construction, Fulton Hogan
Omar is a Certified Environmental Practitioner with over 20 years experience in Environmental Management. Having worked in Local, State and Federal Government departments in Australia and for the last 9 years with Fulton Hogan in Construction, Omar has a broad range of environmental skills and experience across a number of ecosystem types and work streams. Omar is also a member of the NZ Fish Passage Advisory Group and in his down time is a keen gardener, home cook and amateur squash player.
Tanya Blakely
Boffa Miskell, Senior Principal Ecologist
I am a freshwater scientist and ecological consultant with Boffa Miskell. With professional experience in ecological surveying, monitoring and applied scientific research, I have an excellent understanding of the range of pressures on and drivers of freshwater ecosystem health. I regularly work alongside contractors undertaking works in waterways, and was NCTIR's Project Freshwater Ecologist overseeing the road and rail rebuild works after the Hurunui-Kaikoura Earthquakes.
