Fish passage expert to assess obstacles

RITE OF PASSAGE: Fish passage expert Kelly Hughes, pictured here working on a flood gate to allow fish access, will visit Hawke's Bay next week. PHOTO/FILE

Hawke's Bay Regional Council is working to help fish get up and around structures in Hawke's Bay rivers.

Fish passage expert Kelly Hughes is visiting Hawke's Bay next week and will be working with Engineering and Science staff from council to improve fish passage around structures, some of which are operated by the council.

Council's environmental science manager Dr Stephen Swabey said he welcomed the opportunity for council to learn from "an expert in this kind of work".

"There's good news here," Dr Swabey said.

"Mr Hughes has extensive experience improving the ability of fish to access the upper parts of catchments, which increases the amount of habitat available to a range of native species."

Mr Hughes will look at some opportunities to improve known obstacles for fish and help HBRC staff identify appropriate solutions. The locations being investigated include Tutira, Poukawa, Muddy Creek, Pakipaki and the Mangarau Stream at Havelock North.

Physical fish passage solutions typically enable fish to migrate freely between river systems and the sea. Typical solutions include fish-friendly flood gates, ramps, geotextile coverings of structures or specially-designed channels. Different fish species may use different methods to climb through or around structures.

This work is part of an initiative undertaken with iwi to reduce the barriers to fish passage in Hawke's Bay. The outcome will be suitable fish passage elements around structures, and better planning for structures that may be built in future.

Mr Hughes will be onsite with council staff May 6-7.