Around 60 longfin eels were killed in Porirua last month in what some have described as a “senseless culling”.
Longfin eels, or tuna, are considered at risk, with declining population numbers. Some of those killed could have been up to 80 years old.
Aimee Bishop, an Environmental Manager at Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira said the eels “abundant presence” had been destroyed.
“These tuna represented one of the largest populations of longfin tuna living outside of DOC and council reserves in our rohe,” she said.
It will take “a considerable amount of time” to restore eel populations in the area, Bishop said.
Tuna only breed once, at the end of their life, once they’ve migrated to the Pacific Ocean. These eels would not have a chance to produce offspring.
“This thoughtless act demonstrates a complete lack of consideration for the long-term consequences that this will have on the tuna population and the awa,” Bishop said.
The tuna were discovered dead at Duck Creek/Wai-o-Hata Stream in Whitby in early October. Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira called the eel deaths a “senseless culling”.
The Porirua city council was also up in arms over the event.
Porirua City Council/Porirua
Longfin eels, otherwise called tuna, are considered at risk, with declining population numbers.
Nigel Clarke, catchments and resource recovery manager at Porirua council, called their deaths a “huge blow”.
“Some of the tuna would have been 70 to 80 years old and had become firm friends with people in the Whitby community.”
“Tuna in Council reserves are not allowed to be caught, and unfortunately, the signs we’ve put in to remind people have been continually ripped out,” he said.
The longfin eel is one of the largest eels in the world. It is found only in the rivers and lakes of New Zealand.
People who spot any harm to the remaining eels can call the Department of Conservation hotline 0800 362 468.
