Fish Passage Workshop, Wellington, 27 h November 2013

Sjaan Bowie Freshwater Team, Science & Capability, DOC

siaanbowie(doc.clovt.nz

ikpartment or Conservation k Papa Atowbal www.doc.govt.nz

Why are freshwater fish important?

• Recreational

• Commercial

• Customary

• Ecological

• Conservation WNW, —

11/12/2013

1

• 2/3 native fish are migratory

• Remaining resident

• Landlocked populations

11/12/2013

-*k--- 1"1111M

2

11/12/2013

Our native fish • Lamprey • Eels • Smelts • Galaxiidae (Galaxias, kokopu, whitebait,

mudfishes) • Torrentfish • Bullies • Flounders

67% of native fish threatened or at risk in NZ No legal protection

3

11/12/2013

Canterbury Galaxias Lowland Longjaw Galaxias

lnanga Banded Kokopu

Smelt Shortjaw kokopu

Whitebait

Koaro Giant Kokopu

The whitebait that don't go to sea... residents

Dwarf galaxias

• 44, 4.0-00 :6 * LA.' •

.00:1 •••• • ,

Brown mudfish Canterbury mudfish

F4' •;.%

AU%

4

11/12/2013

Upland bully Common bully

Bullies & Torrentfish

Giant bull

Bluegill bully I. -1

• e

Redfin bully

Tarndale bull

Cran's bully

Why is fish passage important in New Zealand

..... Larvae ......... SEA

rr'

streams/drains

Upstream

Juveniles (whitebait)

yv

lakes/w

5

11/12/2013

& Downstream

( Larvae... SEA

Why is fish passage important in New Zealand

Pr

streams/drains

-Free passage -Connectivity -Access to suitable habitat -Safe areas -Impingement/ Entrainment

lakes/we n

vv • vvY pawning Spawning N, •Yv

Adults

We've changed our rivers...

"St earn" creations/diversions

Road crossings

Water intakes Dams

F oodgates

Raceways drains ponds

6

Statutory obligations • Freshwater Fisheries Regulations 1983 • Resource Management Act 1991 • Regional & District policies, plans and

rules • ? Future — FW RMA reforms, NOF Activity DOC Other Legislation

Allow for fish passage -\/- RCs r.41 & r.42 FFR s.14 RMA

Fish facility - allow fish and water to pass and associated management functions

Ni r.43-50 FFR

1

Department of Conservation Tr Papa ..11"whal

11/12/2013

Freshwater Fisheries Regulations 1983 Part VI (Regulations 41-50)

• Culverts & fords may not be built in such a way as to impede fish passage, without a permit from the DG.

• The DG may require that any dam or diversion structure has a fish facility (fish pass, fish screen or similar) included & set conditions on their design and performance.

*Apply to all defined structures built after 1 January 1984

7

DOC Plans

15

• Agreed protocol • National fish passage project

established 2013 —Develop application form and

assessment process —Ensure DOC standards allow for fish

passage —Collate best practice and guidance —Establish prioritisation process

Dcpartmcnt COIlst:TVill ion 7. Papa:Italy/4d

To understand what makes a barrier we need to understand the fish...

• Distribution — Available habitat — Recruitment potential

• Habitat preferences • Migration & Spawning timing • Swimming ability

—Climbers —Jumpers —Swimmers

• Behaviour —Access provision

• Size NIWA's experimental ramps to test fish swimming abilities (source NIWA)

11/12/2013

8

Fish physiology, behaviour, size, life-history Climbers Jumpers Swimmers + combination

• Varying styles & abilities,

• Vary with life stage

11/12/2013

9

•Different fish have differer4 attributes that allow them to navigate through different fl,i5ws and habitats

-Designing structures in and arpund waterways that alter the natural flow need to consider the traits of the fish present

c

t` , 1 , ,ft, • It 1 7'2

A •

4A,

1'

•' 1 .0 '' ■ V (.1

A

/Pt 1

11/12/2013

Barriers to fish passage • Unintentional barriers

—Man-made structures e.g. culverts, dams, weirs, fords

—Natural waterfalls or cascades

• Intentional barriers —Built barriers — Water intake structure and design

20

Department of Conservation

Papa 'tumbril

10

Unintentional barriers • Road crossings, Culverts, Weirs, Fords

• Dams

• Floodgates

• Natural barriers Sometimes barriers are protecting native fish that can not

compete with others e.g. Trout best not to fix 21

Department of Conservation re Papa '15:wind

Natural barriers

Swim burn waterfall protecting Central Otago Roundhead galaxias from brown trout

Hakataramea waterfall protecting native fish upstream from brook char downstream

11/12/2013

11

11/12/2013

Overhan

Fast & turbulent water when open Taihoro Nukurangi

What makes a migration barrier?

Water depth!

Weir/intake structure

horo Nukurangi

Too high

What makes a migration barrier?

Tide/flood_gate Closed gates block fish

12

11/12/2013

Flood pumps can kill and injure fish

What makes a migration barrier?

Fast water Length of culvert inside

Vertical drop

Perched above river

Overhanging outlet

No shallow margin Turbulent water ihorQ Nukuronui

What makes a migration barrier? Flood pumping station

Taihoro Nukurangi

13

What makes a migration barrier?

Need to ensure their is a way out & it's Fish can get connected impinged &

entrained

•

To i loro Nukuransi

Fish can get entrained into take area and then no where to go

Water intake

Intentional Barriers

Built barriers • Barriers that are installed to

protect native fisheries or other values

• Natural Barriers altered to ensure protection

Water intakes Built to try & prevent

entrainment & impingement as fish that get into water intakes often have no way out

11/12/2013

14

What makes a migration barrier?

Fall and Head Built Barrier

maximised

Pool creation downstream prevented

Overhanging structure prevent climbers for some

••■•••

I . j

• ••••■• ma

Water levels can be managed

What makes a migration barrier?

Need to ensure their Water intake is a way out & it's Fish can get connected impinged &

entrained

Fish can get entrained into take area and then no where to go

11/12/2013

15

I it rtent irte 4c4nt R.pa a weila ram mud -

Department of Conservation Te Papa Mamba(

Examples of guidance out there

31

MH COLVO7U

Key considerations • Best to design structures to allow for fish

passage, than try and retrofit later

• Understand the fish • One fish pass or barrier does not fit all • Monitoring and maintenance is critical

• At a few key locations and water intakes; barriers are a good thing

Acknowledgements

•Bruno David (slides and videos on ropes, culverts etc). Also Mark Hamer, Kevin Collier, Jono Tonkin, Kris Taipeti, Hayden Hokianga, University of Waikato, Tauranga Polytech and aquaculture centre staff for input into those slides. •Stephen Moore, Tony Eldon (photos)

•NIWA (Paul Franklin, Cindy Baker)

•Irrigation NZ, ECan and Fish & Game Water Intake/Screening group

32

Dcpartincnt of Umservation Te Papa Alaultal

11/12/2013

16