Advocate 14/14

Database upgrade

Our upgrade is complete. I sent an email to all financial members as a trial. I attached the Waikato Regional Council Tongariro River Plan of work for consideration which will be discussed on the 26th August. The document is available from the following link Tongariro River Works Plan 2014-2015 and in our Library -> Key documents.

If you did not get the email on the 12th August you are not a financial member in 2014. If this is not correct please advise me. I try not to make mistakes but I do on occasions.

The next step is to refresh our website.

ICMP presentation to WRC Taupo Liaison Committee

On the 7th August the Waikato Regional Council (WRC) Taupo Liaison committee met. Advocates President Stuart Crosbie gave a 30 minute presentation to the committee on the Tongariro River Integrated Catchment Management Plan (TRICMP) as the Advocates committee sees it. The presentation was well received by the committee. The committee asked that the TRICMP be put into the Long Term Plan. This is a significant step forward on this matter. The WRC Long Term Plan is now being developed with an adoption date in 2015. But first it must go to the WRC Integrated Catchment committee for recommendation to the full council.

I have been asked what will it achieve. My answer is that the whole catchment will be considered and not sections. It will mean that all policies of Stakeholders are identified and stakeholders will not be recreating policies. It will identify missing policies. It will mean greater co-operation among stakeholders.It will mean a Catchment that the stakeholders want.

Fishing Report

There have been fish in the river for sometime but I have not felt that there have been runs of fish until the past week.  It has been cold, Icy cold as I found yesterday and today when I chose to go fishing. Winter’s icy blast is sending Antarctic air this way.

Tonight I have received the following warning from Bay of Plenty Civil Defence:

The BOP Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups website’s emergency status has been updated.

Current Status: Severe Wind Warning for Bay of Plenty

The fish bit yesterday and today. Yesterday I caught a nice 1.7kg trout, better than most caught over the lean years but todays 2 fish were 1.2kg but otherwise nicely shaped and coloured fish.

Mt Pihanga with snow on the farm on the lower slope on the 9th August.

On the 12th August there was a small flood of 60 cumecs (normal flow is about 23 cumecs) but it didn’t deter anglers fishing the dirty flood waters.

Those who suffer from asthma will be unhappy with the pine pollen heavy in the air. The puddles and cars left out in the open for a while clearly show the yellow sign of pollen.

Trout Study

The committee met with Simon Stewart who is working on a 3 year PhD study on the Food chain in Lake Taupo. Trout and Smelt at the top of the food chain are well understood as is the beginning of the food chain but there are significant gaps in between which will give a much better understanding of the food chain. Simon has asked for Anglers logs recording the key details of your catch. Date, Sex, Length, Weight, where caught. I will advise further on this.

He has also asked for 100 pectoral fins being one fin per fish.

The Children’s Pond

Author Tina Shaw of Taupo has written a novel set in Turangi with a Trout fishing sub theme, The Children’s Pond. As a local it is of interest as places can be identified as can one or two individuals in the novel.  had to remind myself that it is a novel. I have included it here as the Friends of Turangi Library have Tina as their guest at their public meeting on the 26th August, 5.30pm at the Turangi Public Library. I understand that the book will be available for sale at the meeting.

Wilding Pines

http://www.wildingconifers.org.nz

This website highlights the issue of wilding pines and the effort nationally being put into combatting the problem of Wilding Pines

 

Eric Wilson

Secretary