The northern North Island features a number of biologically and culturally significant freshwater sites and ecosystems that are both nationally and internationally rare. The spread of freshwater pest species numbers have increased in recent years due to factors, including but not limited to, illegal releases, flooding events and climate change allowing favourable breeding conditions.
NZ Environmental Management was engaged to create the Northern North Island Freshwater Fish and Herpetofauna Biosecurity Action Plan 2023, summarising the risks to the northern region by pest animal species of interest. The plan also identifies known and potential pest species sites and appropriate surveillance techniques. Pest species include Koi Carp (Cyprinus rubrofuscus), Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus), Orfe (Leuciscus idus), Brown Bullhead Catfish (Ameirus nebulosus), Red-eared Slider Turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans).
The plan provides a framework for managing workstreams, refining currently held records and incoming reports, identifying geographical areas of interest, target species and outlining and appropriate methodology of surveillance. This plan will provide guidance to DOC Freshwater Biosecurity staff when planning freshwater biosecurity priorities and netting programmes.
