The Country
  • The Country home
  • Latest news
  • Audio & podcasts
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life
  • Listen on iHeart radio

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • Coast & Country News
  • Opinion
  • Dairy farming
  • Sheep & beef farming
  • Horticulture
  • Animal health
  • Rural business
  • Rural technology
  • Rural life

Media

  • Podcasts
  • Video

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whāngarei
  • Dargaville
  • Auckland
  • Thames
  • Tauranga
  • Hamilton
  • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Tokoroa
  • Te Kuiti
  • Taumurunui
  • Taupō
  • Gisborne
  • New Plymouth
  • Napier
  • Hastings
  • Dannevirke
  • Whanganui
  • Palmerston North
  • Levin
  • Paraparaumu
  • Masterton
  • Wellington
  • Motueka
  • Nelson
  • Blenheim
  • Westport
  • Reefton
  • Kaikōura
  • Greymouth
  • Hokitika
  • Christchurch
  • Ashburton
  • Timaru
  • Wānaka
  • Oamaru
  • Queenstown
  • Dunedin
  • Gore
  • Invercargill

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / The Country

‘Several thousand’ dead eels found in stream near Mataura, Southland

Otago Daily Times
20 Feb, 2024 05:38 AMQuick Read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Canterbury fires under control as crews start to wind back, why some police stations may have to close and Chlöe Swarbrick makes moves in the latest NZ Herald headlines.

Thousands of dead eels have been found in a stream near Mataura in Southland.

Environment Southland said its compliance and science teams investigated after a report of dead eels in the Low Burn Stream.

Thousands of dead eels have been found in the Low Burn Stream near Mataura. Photo / Environment Southland
Thousands of dead eels have been found in the Low Burn Stream near Mataura. Photo / Environment Southland

Compliance manager Donna Ferguson said the team estimates there were several thousand dead eels over about a 10km distance.

“Our staff have spent extensive time out investigating any potential causes and we have identified one potential source.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

“We have sent a suite of samples away for testing and will continue to look for further evidence.”

It was likely people would continue to see dead eels as the bodies made their way down the waterway and into the Mataura River.

Thousands of dead eels have been found in a stream near Mataura in Southland. Photo / Environment Southland
Thousands of dead eels have been found in a stream near Mataura in Southland. Photo / Environment Southland

“We know the deaths of these eels and other stream life in the area will be distressing. This is an active investigation and our teams are working hard to establish the cause.”

People were asked to avoid contact with the water and report any further eel deaths to the compliance team on 0800 76 88 45.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save

    Share this article

Latest from The Country

The Country

How Federated Farmers shapes policy for Bay of Plenty farmers

24 Jun 02:30 AM
The Country

Michael Every talks Trump on The Country

24 Jun 02:05 AM
The Country

The council with almost 50 vacant roles

24 Jun 12:06 AM

Kaibosh gets a clean-energy boost in the fight against food waste

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from The Country

How Federated Farmers shapes policy for Bay of Plenty farmers

How Federated Farmers shapes policy for Bay of Plenty farmers

24 Jun 02:30 AM

Brent Mountfort leads Federated Farmers in advocating for 500 members on rural issues.

Michael Every talks Trump on The Country

Michael Every talks Trump on The Country

24 Jun 02:05 AM
The council with almost 50 vacant roles

The council with almost 50 vacant roles

24 Jun 12:06 AM
Council working to keep gifted farm free from wastewater

Council working to keep gifted farm free from wastewater

23 Jun 11:17 PM
Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style
sponsored

Engage and explore one of the most remote places on Earth in comfort and style

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP