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Native Dunedin freshwater fish are enduring delays in their protection programme by the Department of Conservation, even though they are acutely and chronically threatened. The non-migratory Eldon’s Galaxias, a subspecies of the Galaxiid family that is native to New Zealand, has been declining due to changes in land use, the impact of introduced species, and water abstraction. However, DOC and the Minister of Conservation, Nick Smith, have defended the issue by saying that is due to sponsorship deals to eradicate trout.

Dr Richard Allibone, an Otago graduate, discovered Eldon’s Galaxias over 20 years ago. They are only found in two rivers in the world – the Taieri and the Tokomairiro River.

Green Party Member of Parliament Eugenie Sage asked the Hon. Nick Smith about the cause of the delays. Smith said the delay of the “Galaxias Eldoni” (or Eldon’s Galaxias) conservation effort was caused by, “ongoing negotiations with the landowner (City Forests, a Dunedin-owned forest products company), who is looking to sponsor the programme. Work is expected to be completed by the year’s end,” he said.

Peter Ravenscroft from DOC Dunedin contends that the targets have not actually been delayed, but they are instead in the early stages of scoping out the stream and canvassing sponsorship to get trout numbers down; trout are major predators of the Galaxiid. “Trout have gotten into the creek; we need to see if it is feasible to take out the trout, otherwise there is no point in putting money into Eldon’s if we can’t get the trout out,” Ravenscroft stated. To do instigate this removal effort, DOC has had to collaborate with City Forests.

Lan Pham, a previous employee of DOC and a founder of the Working Waters Trust, spoke of Galaxiids as the “forgotten fauna of New Zealand.” She explains that to protect species such as Eldon’s Galaxias, the trout need to be removed from areas such as above waterfalls, where the Galaxiids are less vulnerable. This action has raised concerns from Fish and Game, who claim that the trout removal would eventually extend to the Clutha River, a popular tourist spot for enthusiastic fly-fishers.

Another issue is the underfunding and drastic restructuring DOC experienced last year. Eugenie Sage argues “National’s underfunding and restructuring of DOC has left many gaps and caused low staff morale, which is impacting on the great work that DOC does. Our unique native freshwater fish are in crisis … We need strong rules that ensure our rivers are clean and safe for us and our native fish to swim in.”

74 per cent of native freshwater fish in New Zealand are endangered.