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Anglers Roll Up Sleeves to Help with Trout Release

Tuesday 4 October 2011, 7:39PM

By Fish and Game NZ

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The Live Trout Truck with a message for motorists travelling behind it.
The Live Trout Truck with a message for motorists travelling behind it. Credit: Fish and Game NZ

ROTORUA

Rotorua anglers will be doing their bit tomorrow (Wednesday Oct 5), to help with a major trout release into one of their favourite fishing lakes.

Eastern Region Fish & Game Officers will be releasing 4000 one year-old rainbows into Lake Rerewhakaaitu.

Members of the Rotorua Angler’s Association will be at the hatchery to help in the big task of fin clipping, where the trouts’ fins are clipped to identify them when they’re later caught.

It’s a labour intensive process as all 100,000 fish liberated by the Eastern Region annually need to be either fin clipped or tagged, says Fish & Game Officer Mark Sherburn.

“It’s great to get the fishing club members involved as they’ve had a long-standing relationship with Fish & Game – contributing a lot over the years to our work. We value their contribution and want to see it continue.”

The local anglers in particular are the backbone of our kids ‘fish out’ days, where youngsters are taught to fish by these veterans in one of our pools, Mark says.

He says that it’s appropriate that the anglers can help with fish for Rerewhakaaitu as it’s a popular fishing spot for them. The fish will be released at spots including Homestead Arm in Brett Road.

Tomorrow’s effort will take the total number of fish released into Rotorua lakes so far this spring to about the 35,000 mark.

The fish will be taken to Rerewhakaaitu in Fish & Game’s ‘Live Trout Truck’ – a purpose-built transporter which has been sign written to make people aware of its important role.

The truck helps us get across to people just how much work is involved in keeping lakes stocked with good condition fish for anglers to target, Mark says.

NOTE TO EDITORS/PHOTGRAPHERS:

Anglers will be helping with the fin clip from 9 am Wednesday October 5, at Fish & Game’s Ngongotaha hatchery, at 1130 Paradise Valley Road. The Live Trout Truck can also be photographed.