Barriers and screens
Restricting pest fish movement at key connections between the river, the lake and the wetland — so that gains made in one area are not undone the next flood season.
Koi carp
Koi Carp: One of Our Biggest Challenges
Koi carp are one of the most visible symptoms of the ecological pressure facing Lake Waikare.
Why it matters
Feeding fish, stirred sediment, cloudy water
As they feed, carp disturb bottom sediments, contributing to turbid water and making it more difficult for aquatic vegetation to re-establish. Without those plants, sediment stays loose and the cycle continues.
Removing carp from an open, connected waterway is extremely difficult. Fish move with floodwater; a cleared area can be recolonised.
But difficult does not mean we do nothing.
Difficult does not mean impossible — and it does not mean we do nothing.
Koi solutions
What WWWR supports
WWWR supports research, control programmes and innovative ways of turning an environmental problem into an economic opportunity.
Targeted removal
Coordinated netting and trapping at spawning times and in known hotspots, backed by data on where and when carp concentrate.
Research and monitoring
Measuring biomass, movement and the effect of removal on water clarity, so effort goes where it makes the most difference.
A use for what’s removed
Carp can become fertiliser, pet food or other products. Creating value turns a costly clean-up into an ongoing programme that can pay part of its own way.
Habitat recovery
Once clarity improves, native water plants can re-establish and hold sediment in place — locking in the gains from control work.
Community reporting
Local eyes on the water. Sightings, spawning reports and volunteer help make control programmes far more effective.