- Hon David Parker
Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust are set to significantly scale up their work protecting īnanga spawning habitat in Northland thanks to funding from Jobs for Nature, Environment Minister David Parker announced today.
"Īnanga numbers are declining. It's important that we restore their home and protect them," David Parker said.
Together with the project partners, Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust will focus on locating īnanga and protecting and enhancing their spawning habitat across 25 waterways in the far North.
"The project gives effect to Te Mana o Te Wai, the principal concept of the Essential Freshwater reforms, by putting the health of the freshwater and its inhabitants first," David Parker said.
"In practice this means supporting freshwater quality by eradicating pests, planting to enrich and protect waterways, and our native freshwater species."
Over the next three and a half years, the project will receive $1 million funding from Jobs for Nature, with 18.3 full time equivalent roles to do the work and 24 people undertake formal training.
The project will enable 19,400 stream side plantings and fencing to be installed along four kilometres of waterways as well as animal and plant pest control.
"This will help to fill knowledge gaps and increase effective management of freshwater and riparian habitats for the protection of this declining taonga species," Kim Jones, Poutokomanawa/Co-Director - Freshwater Lead of the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trusts said.
The Northland Īnanga Spawning Habitat Restoration Project will also collect mapping data to identify priority habitat for restoration, which will help to build climate change resilience.
This funding comes from the Freshwater Improvement fund, which is part of the Government's Jobs for Nature package. Jobs for Nature aims to benefit our environment and provide employment opportunities to help accelerate the recovery from the impacts of COVID-19.
As of the latest full update, over 380 projects have received funding and more than 7,000 people have worked in, or are working in, Jobs for Nature-funded jobs.
Note to editors:
- Īnanga (Galaxias maculatus) are the smallest and most common of the whitebait species and are native to New Zealand.
- Living in lowland freshwater habitats like coastal creeks and estuaries, īnanga have difficulty swimming in certain environments with the Department of Conservation classifying their biggest threat to be habitat disturbance and modification.
- Project partners include:
- Ngāti Manu - Karetu Marae
- NZ Landcare Trust
- Te Hikutu Hapū and Whirinaki Toiora Trust
- Department of Conservation
- Fonterra
- Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust
- Northland Regional Council
- NorthTec
- Reconnecting Northland
- Hokianga Harbour Care
- Riffle Restoration
- Foundation North
