Eel bashed with hammer 'tame' from hand-feeding
Thursday, 11 July 2019
A Christchurch eel bashed with hammer would have been 'tame' from people hand-feeding them, the Department of Conservation (DOC) says.
Footage sent to Stuff shows a man pulling what appears to be a longfin eel, which is a vulnerable species, on a fishing line outside the Antigua Boat Sheds on Cambridge Tce on Monday.
The man is then handed a hammer by a woman with him, and strikes the eel several times before putting it into a plastic bag.
A spokesman for the Antigua Boat Sheds was unaware of the incident before but earlier said it had happened 'a few times' over the past two years.
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The boat sheds is a popular eel-viewing destination and children can often be seen feeding the eels at the site. Doris the friendly eel is known to lurk beneath the sheds.
A SPCA spokeswoman said inspectors would like to speak to anyone with information on the case.
'The person involved may not be aware this could be an offence under the Animal Welfare Act. We are hoping to identify the person responsible and prevent further distress and suffering.'
DOC Mahaanui ranger Anita Spencer said those killing eels from the Avon River were taking advantage of tame animals that had come to trust people.
'Eels in the Avon River through the city are loved by many people and are used to being hand fed.
'People who then fish for these eels are essentially taking tame animals that have come to trust people.'
On November 23, 2017, the Christchurch City Council imposed a no fishing zone to all council river facilities within the central city area from where the Avon River crosses under Harper Ave to where it flows under Fitzgerald Ave.
The ban applies to all fish species and eels in the river and includes fishing from all council built structures, such as punting landings and steps, but does not cover those taken from the banks of the river.
Spencer said DOC was very supportive of the bylaws imposed by the council to help protect the eels.
'We hope to work with them where possible to explore any further options for protecting these unique fish,' she said.
There are two types of freshwater eels in New Zealand: longfin and shortfin.
The footage is not clear enough to say what species the eel is, but it appears to be a longfin. Longfin eels are only found in New Zealand, and have the conservation status 'At risk/Declining'. The species shares that status with the likes of the North Island brown kiwi and the blue penguin.
Shortfin eels are native to New Zealand but are also found in parts of Australia and the Pacific Islands. They are not considered threatened. Under the Wildlife Act, killing most native animals can be penalised with a $100,000 fine or up to a year in prison, but longfin eels are excluded from that law. It is generally legal to take an eel for the purposes of human consumption or scientific research.
Longfin eels have a lifespan of up to a century, and only breed once, at the end of their lives. It is unclear where exactly they breed, but it appears to be in the Pacific Ocean south of Fiji.
Thousands of longfin eels are killed each year and sent overseas for consumption.
'Sadly, pressure on these two unique species is contributing to their decline. We encourage everyone to consider the bigger picture when fishing,' Spencer said.
Christchurch City Council acting head of regulatory compliance Claire le Grice earlier said fishing at the Cambridge Tce spot was likely a breach of the Marine, River and Lake Facilities Bylaw 2017.