New tour explores the mysterious life of longfin tuna

Wednesday, 20 January 2021

The Department of Conservation defined longfin eels as “at risk, declining”.

A mystery tour exploring the habitats of a freshwater apex predator will hopefully raise awareness of the role wetlands play in their survival.

The National Wetland Trust has planned a self-drive tour to several Waipā locations, for people to discover more about the rare longfin eel.

The tour, on Auckland Anniversary Day, February 1, is a joint effort between the trust, Ngāti Apakura, Department of Conservation and the Waipā District Council.

It will start at Ngā Roto Domain, Bank Street, from 10am. Participants can register there and pick up a map, a quiz with clues to solve along the way.

The self-drive tour will start and Lake Ngā Roto, in the Waipa district.

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There are two main species of eels in New Zealand. The longfin and the shortfin.

The 30-kilometre drive, on sealed roads, includes several stops with short, easy walks.

The trust said the “Tuna Hikoi”, or “Eel Journey” will help families explore the district, learn about native eels and their habitats, and compete for prizes.

There were two species of eel, longfin and shortfin.

The tuna hold special significance for Ngāti Apakura, as kuia Hazel Wander explained.

”Apakura was a tohunga of the tuna, and so tuna are part of our identity.

“The wetlands are crucial for the survival of the tuna.

“When the tuna are healthy, we know the water is healthy, and that’s a good environmental indicator for us to look for.”

The Department of Conservation defined longfin eels as “at risk, declining”, the species was one of the largest eels in the world and was found only in the wetlands, rivers and lakes of New Zealand.

There were fewer eels today because of the loss of wetlands and historical commercial fishing practice.

The commercial eel fishery was now managed by the Ministry for Primary Industries.

National Wetlands Trust Chairman Don Scarlet said eels and wetlands were “intimately connected” with each other.

“Eels like living in hard to reach places, quiet places such as in wetlands.

“They are interesting, quirky and a fun way to engage with people. One of our goals is to get more Kiwis into wetlands and the self-drive tour is a good way to achieve that.”

The tour also aims to celebrate World Wetlands Day, held every February to mark the 1971 adoption of the International Convention on Wetlands and to raise awareness of the unique ecosystems.

The theme for World Wetlands Day was “Wetlands and water”, and shines a spotlight on wetlands as a source of freshwater and encourages actions to restore them and stop their loss.

Final registration for the trust’s self-drive tour was at 12.30pm. The trust said to allow plenty of time to complete the route and return to Ngā Roto for prizegiving at 3pm.

“Participants are advised to bring snacks and drinking water for the journey.”

For more information visit World Wetlands Day.