Before a Special Tribunal

Under the Resource Management Act 1991

In the matter of an application for a Water Conservation Order for the Ngaruroro River and Clive River

Statement of Evidence of Martin John Unwin on behalf of Fish and Game Council, Hawke's Bay Fish and Game Council, Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand, Jet Boating New Zealand, Whitewater NZ Incorporated and Ngāti Hori ki Kohupatiki

15 October 2017

Introduction

1 My name is Martin John Unwin.

2 I have been engaged by Fish & Game New Zealand (FGNZ) to assist with their application for a WCO on the Ngaruroro River by characterising the angling values of the Ngaruroro River in a national and regional context.

Qualifications and experience

3 I hold the qualification of Master of Science in Physics (with Distinction) from the University of Canterbury. From 2001-2006 I was a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, published by the Royal Society of New Zealand.

4 I have been employed by the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research and its predecessor organisations for 41 years. I retired from full-time work in August 2013, and now work part-time from my home in Wanaka. My main research interest was the biology of Chinook salmon in New Zealand waters, a topic on which I have published over thirty papers in thirteen peer-reviewed international scientific journals.

5 A strong secondary interest throughout my career was collecting and analysing data on usage of New Zealand's fishery resources by recreational anglers. I helped design and analyse numerous surveys of recreational fisheries in both marine and freshwater environments, and have authored or co-authored over forty reports on the results. I have presented evidence on how the survey findings characterise the angling values of New Zealand river fisheries to the Environment Court, Special Commissions, and Regional Council hearings considering Water Conservation Order (WCO) applications and regional planning matters on numerous rivers and catchments, including the Mataura, Rangitata, Buller, Hurunui, Waiau, Kawarau, Nevis, and Oreti.

6 While this is not a hearing before the Environment Court, I confirm that I have read the code of conduct for expert witnesses contained in the Environment Court Consolidated Practice Note (2014). I have complied with it when preparing my written statement of evidence and I agree to comply with it when presenting evidence. I confirm that the evidence and the opinions I have expressed in my evidence are within my area of expertise. I have not omitted to consider material facts known to me that might alter or detract from the opinions that I express.

Summary of evidence

7 In a report published in 2013 I identified the Ngaruroro River and its headwaters as a nationally important fishery. For anglers seeking a remote

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fishing experience in an expansive wilderness environment, the Ngaruroro headwaters provide virtually the only such fishery outside the .

8 Two national angling surveys I have conducted on behalf of FGNZ since my 2013 report was published strongly reinforce this conclusion. The first survey, published in 2013, asked respondents to rate their enjoyment of rivers they were familiar with on a 1-5 scale, and to identify their most important attributes. The second survey, published in 2016, estimated total usage of all significant New Zealand lake and river fisheries over the 2014/15 angling season.

9 The 2013 survey yields three quantitative measures which allow each river’s value to be assessed relative to others. These are its mean enjoyment score, which is closely related to the intuitive notion of importance; its location on the Recreational Opportunity Spectrum (ROS), which spans environments ranging from urban and urban fringe to pristine wilderness; and “angling productivity”, which characterises rivers with extensive areas of fishable water and where anglers have a high expectation of catching a fish.

10 The upper Ngaruroro River (defined as the section above the Taruarau confluence) was the 25th most highly valued of 431 New Zealand river fisheries analysed in detail. It ranks ahead of the upper and Tongariro River, both of which have an international reputation. Its peers include rivers such as the Manganui-o-te-ao, Nevis, Maruia, and Ahuriri. With the exception of the Tongariro River, all of these rivers are protected by WCOs for their fishery values.

11 The upper Ngarururo fishery scores highly for both ROS character and angling productivity, both of which contribute to its high importance score. However, I believe this score is significantly enhanced by its rarity value in a North Island context, which greatly increases its importance to North Island anglers.

12 The Taruarau River was the 9th most highly valued of the 431 river fisheries analysed, with the 14th highest ROS score, and the 17th highest angling productivity score. For these reasons alone, it could well serve as the prototype for a high value headwater/wilderness fishery.

13 The results of the 2014/15 national angling survey, together with those of three predecessors conducted since 1994/95, suggest that annual usage of the whole Ngaruroro River has remained relatively stable over this period but that the upper reaches have gained in popularity relative to the lower reaches. The Ngaruroro River consistently ranks among the 50 most heavily fished rivers in New Zealand, with a mean annual usage of 4,230 angler-days. The upper reaches accounted for 58% of annual effort (2,470 angler-days) in 2014/15, compared to 16% (980 angler-days) in 2001/02, and 20-25% (550 angler-days) in 2007/08.

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14 Anglers from outside the Hawke's Bay region accounted for 38% and 46% of estimated effort on the upper Ngaruroro River and Taruarau River, respectively, during the 2014/15 angling season. This is consistent with results for other FGNZ regions, where the 2014/15 data strongly suggest a general trend towards increasing angler patronage of backcountry and headwater river fisheries throughout New Zealand.

Scope of evidence

15 My evidence is based on data from six national angling surveys conducted by FGNZ and its predecessor organisations (the Acclimatisation Societies) over the 35 years from 1980 to 2015. These fall into two groups, with differing objectives. Two surveys, conducted in 1979/1981 and 2013, characterised individual river fisheries in terms of qualitative attributes such as proximity to home, accessibility, scenic beauty, and wilderness character (Teirney et al. 1982, Richardson et al. 1984, Teirney & Richardson 1992, Unwin 2013b). The remaining four surveys, conducted in 1994/95, 2001/02, 2007/08, and 2014/15, estimated annual usage of all New Zealand lakes and rivers by anglers fishing for acclimatised species including brown trout, rainbow trout, and salmon (Unwin & Brown 1998, Unwin & Image 2003, Unwin 2009a, 2016).

16 My conclusions regarding the angling values of the Ngaruroro River are similar to those I presented in an earlier report on its fishery, based on the angler survey information available at the time and prepared as a background paper to accompany FGNZ’s component of an application for a WCO (Unwin 2013a). However, this report was published before results from the 2013 and 2014/15 surveys were available, so is now incomplete in two respects. First, the 2013 river attributes survey (Unwin 2013b) provides a much more robust characterisation of the fishery than was possible in the 2013 report, which was based solely on 30- year-old data from the 1979/81 survey. Second, the 2014/15 survey (Unwin 2016) provides more up to date information on angler usage than was available in 2013.

17 I begin my evidence by summarising the main conclusions from my 2013 report. I follow this with a review of the findings from the 2013 and 2014/15 surveys, focussing on results where the new data significantly extend or modify the conclusions in my 2013 report. Throughout my evidence I keep methodological and analytical detail to a minimum, so as to emphasise the results rather than technicalities. Full details of both surveys, and their predecessors, are available in the technical literature (Unwin 2013b, 2013a and references therein, 2016).

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Evidence

Angler Usage of the Ngaruroro River (from Unwin 2013a)

18 The Ngaruroro River is unusual among North Island rivers in draining a catchment which is highly elevated, receives abundant rainfall, and with land cover dominated by tussock and grassland rather than indigenous or exotic forest. Such catchments are relatively common in the South Island, where they are represented by rivers such as the Wairau, Clarence, Ahuriri, and Nevis, but in the North Island are limited to the upper Ngaruroro and part of the upper Rangitikei.

19 The Ngaruroro River fishery shows considerable longitudinal variation in general character, angler origin, and level of usage. The lower reaches are predominantly fished by anglers from Hawke's Bay, and are valued for proximity to home, ease of access, and large areas of fishable water. By contrast, the upper reaches attract significant numbers of visitors from outside Hawke's Bay, and are characterised by remoteness, high scenic and wilderness value, and large fish. A weakness of the 1979/81 survey was that the “upper reaches” of the Ngaruroro River were not explicitly defined; for the purposes of my 2013 report I interpreted it as referring to the headwaters above Kuripapango.

20 Estimated annual angler usage of the Ngaruroro River was 3,760 angler-days in 1994/95, 6,240 angler-days in 2001/02, and 2,810 angler-days in 2007/08. This is well below usage levels for highly used North Island rivers such as the Tutaekuri, Tukituki, and Rangitikei, but comparable to well-known South Island back country fisheries such as the Buller, Tekapo, and Ahuriri, and ahead of other high profile central North Island rivers such as the Ruakituri, Manganui-o-te-ao, and Whakapapa.

21 The upper reaches of the Ngaruroro River sustain a fishery comparable in stature to back country and headwater fisheries elsewhere in New Zealand, including the Ahuriri, upper Oreti, Sabine, Travers, Caples, and Greenstone, all of which are recognised as nationally important. For this reason, the upper Ngaruroro should be regarded as nationally important. The lower reaches of the Ngaruroro River also sustain a significant recreational fishery, but its value is regional or local rather than national.

22 The most striking feature of the upper Ngaruroro River is the extremely high regard in which the fishery is held by anglers from throughout the North Island. For North Island anglers who seek a remote fishing experience, in an expansive wilderness environment, the Ngaruroro headwaters provide virtually the only suitable fishery outside of the South Island.

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The 2013 National Angling Survey

Methods

23 The 2013 National Angling Survey was conducted by NIWA on behalf of FGNZ from May to July 2013 (Unwin 2013b). The survey objectives were to measure the relative value of individual fisheries throughout New Zealand, using a pre- defined set of qualitative descriptors, and hence to provide objective metrics for characterising and comparing different fisheries. The survey was motivated by the need to update the results of the 1979/81 survey, to which it was broadly similar in its scope and objectives, but the design and methodology included numerous refinements developed in a 2008 pilot survey of anglers in the and Nelson/Marlborough FGNZ regions (Unwin 2009b).

24 The survey was distributed online to a random sample of 11,923 New Zealand resident whole-season and family licence holders for the 2011/2012 angling season. Respondents were asked to identify rivers they had fished over the last 3-5 years, to rate their enjoyment of the fishery on a scale from 1 (least enjoyable) to 5 (most enjoyable), and to identify up to three reasons, from a list of ten, why they fished each river. These were:

(a) Close to home;

(b) Close to holiday home;

(c) Easy access to river;

(d) Plenty of fishable water;

(e) Scenic beauty;

(f) Wilderness feeling;

(g) Angling challenge;

(h) Expect good catch rate;

(i) Chance to catch trophy fish; and

(j) Other (including a brief description; not used in this evidence).

25 The responses (N = 1,650; response rate 14.9%) were strongly skewed towards anglers who were more active than average. I therefore interpret the data gathered by the survey as representing the consensus of a large pool of experienced anglers, akin to the views of an expert panel, rather than a random sample of all anglers.

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26 Numerical scores for enjoyment and the reasons why respondents fished each river (as defined in paragraph 24) were calculated for all rivers. Enjoyment scores were expressed on a scale from 1 (low) to high (5), representing the mean of the 1-5 ratings awarded by each respondent. Attribute scores were expressed on a scale from 0 to 1, representing the percentage of respondents who identified that attribute as one of the three reasons why they fished their nominated river(s).

27 As an illustration of how these scores characterise each river, Table 1 lists the raw scores for four Hawke's Bay rivers, and the upper Mataura River in Southland. The lower reaches of the Tukituki and Ngaruroro offer a similar fishing experience, in that both rivers are valued primarily for their proximity to home, ease of access to the river, and availability of fishing water. By contrast, the upper Ngaruroro and Taruarau are valued more for their scenic and wilderness character, and – particularly the Taruarau – for providing challenging angling. The Mataura River is valued for an abundance of readily accessible fishing water, and for giving anglers a high expectation of catching a fish. This latter trait is also a feature of the lower Tukituki River and the Taruarau River.

28 I used principal components analysis (PCA) to characterise variation in attribute scores for 431 rivers with at least 10 responses. Briefly, PCA is a mathematical technique which reshapes the nine raw attribute scores for each river into a new set of scores, or components, which retain all the information present in the original scores but weights each attribute so that as much as possible of the variation between individual rivers is contained in the leading components (Unwin 2013b). The effect of this is to reduce the number of dimensions needed to visualise the data from nine (one for each attribute) to a more tractable number.

Results

29 Mean enjoyment scores ranged from 1.24 to 4.08, with a median of 2.36 (Unwin 2013b). Scores for the most highly valued rivers were 2.71, 2.92, and 3.16, respectively, for the 80th, 90th, and 95th percentiles. A total of 37 rivers had mean enjoyment scores ≥ 3, indicating that – for these rivers – the number of respondents awarding rankings of 4 (a personal favourite, very enjoyable) or 5 (exceptional, has few peers) exceeded those who awarded rankings of 1 or 2 (enjoyable but not exceptional).

30 Rivers with high enjoyment scores (Table 2) include many already protected by Water Conservation Orders (WCOs), or recognised as significant headwater trout fisheries (Jellyman & Graynoth 1994, Unwin 2013b). Notable fisheries above the upper 90th percentile include the Tongariro, upper Whanganui, Whakapapa, and Manganui-o-te-au (central North Island); the Ruakituri, upper Ngaruroro, and Taruarau (Hawke's Bay); the Travers, Sabine, D’Urville, Maruia, Karamea, and Mokihinui (Nelson); and the Ahuriri, Nevis, Caples, Greenstone, Lochy, Mataura,

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and upper Waiau (Otago/Southland). This confirms that the enjoyment scale as measured by the survey is broadly consistent with FGNZ’s empirical assessment of each river, and correlates well with the intuitive notion of importance.

31 Rivers above the 90th percentile for enjoyment included three fisheries within the Ngaruroro catchment: the upper Ngaruroro (ranked 25th nationally); the Taruarau River (ranked 9th nationally); and Ikawatea Stream (ranked 8th nationally). The ranking for Ikawatea Stream is based on only 12 responses and is therefore less robust than for the other two rivers, but the upper Ngaruroro and Taruarau rankings are based on 95 and 38 responses, respectively, and can be considered reliable. The score for the upper Ngaruroro River (3.13) lies just under the 95th percentile nationally, but ranks well ahead of such highly regarded fisheries as the Tongariro River (2.97; 38th) and upper Mataura River (3.03, 34th). The rating for the Taruarau River (3.47) lies on the 98th percentile nationally, and (together with Ikawatea Stream) is outranked nationally only by the Ruakituri River; three tributaries of the (Crow River, Leslie River, Roaring Lion River); the Manganui-o-te-ao River; and two Lake Te Anau tributaries (Clinton River and Worsley River).

32 Principal Components Analysis was successful in reducing the nine raw attribute scores to a more compact set of descriptors, with the leading four components accounting for 93% of the observed variation among rivers. For the purposes of this evidence I focus on the first two of these components, which jointly accounted for 73% of total variance. I interpret these two measures as characterising each river’s location on the Recreational Opportunity Spectrum (ROS; Stankey & Wood 1982, Joyce & Sutton 2009); and angling productivity (Unwin 2013b). I now describe these two components in more detail.

33 The leading component (PC1) accounted for 59.3% of the variance in raw attribute scores. It tended to be lowest for readily accessible rivers close to population centres, and highest for remote and scenic rivers providing challenging angling (Unwin 2013b, Table 3.6). Inspection of PC1 scores for 35 Hawke's Bay rivers with at least 10 responses (Table 3) suggests that PC1 encapsulates, with high fidelity, the spectrum from lowland river fisheries in highly modified catchments to remote headwater fisheries in pristine environments. This is essentially the same spectrum that emerged from the 1979/81 survey (Teirney et al. 1982) and is now well-established (Table 4), but has always been ad hoc and partly subjective. The 2013 results give this spectrum a solid empirical basis, and suggest that PC1 is essentially a quantitative measure of where each river lies on the Recreational Opportunity Spectrum (ROS; Stankey & Wood 1982, Joyce & Sutton 2009). Leaving aside the question of exactly how this scale needs to be fine-tuned to yield a New Zealand based, angler-specific ROS, I find the match between PC1 and the ROS sufficiently compelling that – for the purposes of this evidence – I regard the two as equivalent. In the remainder of this

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evidence I use the term "ROS score" to refer to each river’s PC1 score as measured by the 2013 survey (c.f. paragraph 9)

34 The second principal component (PC2), accounting for 13.7% of the variance in the survey data, was primarily driven by the expectation of catching a fish, and – to a lesser extent – the area of fishable water and the possibility of catching a trophy fish. I therefore interpret PC2 as a measure of “angling productivity” (c.f. paragraph 9), characterising rivers where fish are abundant, generally easily caught, and may be of trophy size; and where there is also an abundance of fishable water (Unwin 2013b). Rivers with strongly positive PC2 scores include highly productive backcountry or headwater rivers such as the Ruakituri, Karamea, and Hunter, along with popular mainstem fisheries such as the Tongariro, Mataura, Ahuriri, and in Southland. Other fisheries with strikingly high PC2 scores include the upper Waitaki Valley hydroelectric canals (Ohau Canal, Tekapo Canal, and Pukaki Canal, respectively 5th, 10th, and 13th of the 431 rivers analysed), and Flaxy Canal in the upper Rangitaiki catchment (in 7th place). The unique feature of these canal fisheries is that they allow anglers to drive to their chosen spot, step out of their vehicle, and simply drop a line into the water with a high expectation of landing a (possibly large) fish.

35 The Taruarau River had the highest PC2 score (0.370) within the Hawke's Bay region (Table 5), and ranked 17th nationally. Relative to other well-known fisheries with high scores for angling productivity, it ranked below the Tongariro River (0.397) but above the upper Mataura River (0.356).

36 Overlaying enjoyment scores for each river onto the corresponding PC1 and PC2 scores provides a compact visual representation of these results. Specifically, 73% of the variation in the nine attribute scores for the 431 rivers fished by at least ten respondents can be captured in a single two-dimensional scatterplot (Figure 1). I interpret the main features of this figure as follows.

37 The general character of each river is indicated by its location relative to the PC1 and PC2 axes. The horizontal (PC1) axis indicates where a river lies on the ROS, with scenic and wilderness character increasing from left to right. The vertical (PC2) axis measures angling productivity, which increases from bottom to top.

38 The lower left hand quadrant generally represents fisheries of low productivity in urban, urban fringe, or semi-rural lowland environments. Such rivers attract anglers mostly because of their proximity to angler’s homes and ease of access. Typical examples include the Hutt River in , the River on the outskirts of Christchurch, and the Water of Leith in Dunedin. Hawke's Bay has only a few such rivers, the main examples being the Tutaekuri River, Tutaekuri Waimate Stream, and the .

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39 The upper left quadrant represents rivers which sustain productive fisheries but lie at the lower end of the ROS scale. This sector includes some of the most heavily fished rivers in New Zealand, such as the Tongariro, Mataura, upper Clutha, lower Ruamahunga, lower , and the four canal fisheries described in paragraph 34. Hawke's Bay rivers in this category include the lower Ngaruroro River, the Mohaka River below SH5, the Tukituki River below the Waipawa confluence, and the Waipawa River.

40 The upper right quadrant represents rivers which sustain productive fisheries and also lie at or near the upper end of the ROS scale, corresponding to the backcountry and wilderness fisheries originally identified in the 1979/81 survey (Table 4). Those with ROS scores up to about 0.3 are best characterised as backcountry rather than headwater, and include rivers such as the Tarawera, upper Rangitikei, Manganui-o-te-ao, and Awakino (in the North Island); and the Wairau, Hurunui, Ahuriri, and upper Oreti (in the South Island). Higher ROS scores tend to indicate headwater rather than backcountry fisheries (Table 4), such as upper Whanganui and Whakapapa (in the North Island), and over fifty South Island rivers on both sides of the Southern Alps. In the Hawke's Bay region, the upper Mohaka and Ngaruroro, and many of their upper tributaries fall into one or other of these two groups. The difference between the backcountry and headwater categories is well illustrated by the difference between the Mohaka River between the Mangatainoka confluence and SH5 (PC1 = 0.043; back country), and the upper reaches above the Mangatainoka confluence (PC1 = 0.319; headwater).

41 Highly valued rivers, as represented either by protection under an existing WCO or a high enjoyment score in the 2013 survey, tend to cluster towards the upper right of the scatterplot, and/or along the upper margin. In most instances, rivers protected by existing WCOs (which include headwater tributaries of protected mainstem rivers such as the Mohaka, Buller, and Kawarau) are well aligned to those with enjoyment scores above the 90th percentile. The main exceptions to this trend are rivers whose importance reflects attributes not measured in the 2013 survey: level of usage, and/or species available. These are the Rakaia River and Rangitata River in Canterbury, both of which sustain high-usage fisheries for Chinook salmon; and the River, which is distinguished by high usage and its popularity as a holiday destination.

42 River fisheries within the Ngaruroro catchment are represented in Figure 1 by pale blue symbols. The three identified in paragraph 31 as lying above the 90th percentile for mean enjoyment score, i.e., the upper Ngaruroro River, the Taruarau River, and Ikawatea Stream, lie well towards the upper right alongside many of the rivers subject to existing WCOs. The remaining three – the lower Ngaruroro River (centre left); Ohara Stream (centre); and the Tutaekuri Waimate

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Stream (bottom left) – group towards the lower left, well away from most of the more highly valued fisheries.

43 Rivers which are subject to a current WCO, and can be considered peers to the upper Ngaruroro River in the context of Figure 1, include the Lochy River (Kawarau WCO); the Ohikanui River (Buller WCO); Rough (or Otututu) River (Grey WCO); and Manganui-o-te-ao River. Other close peers which are equally highly valued but are not subject to a WCO include the upper and Whakapapa River; the Mokihinui River; and the Eglinton River. All of these rivers have moderately high (but not exceptionally high) ROS scores, and very high angling productivity scores.

44 The Taruarau River lies well towards the upper right of Figure 1, in a position which clearly marks it as a highly valued headwater/wilderness fishery. Only two rivers – the Crow River and the Roaring Lion River in Kahurangi National Park – lie closer to the upper extreme of both axes, and its three nearest neighbours are all subject to current WCOs. These are the Greenstone and Caples Rivers above Lake Wakatipu, which are protected under the Kawarau WCO, and the Ripia River in the headwaters of the Mohaka River. All other fisheries with comparable ROS and angling productivity scores lie wholly or partly within a National Park, and include the Karamea River and Leslie River (Kahurangi NP); the Young River and Hunter River (Mt Aspiring NP); and Worsley Stream (Fiordland NP).

45 The upper Ngaruroro River (including the Taruarau River) forms one of three central North Island headwater catchments (together with the Mohaka and Rangitikei) regarded by FGNZ as providing some of the best backcountry trout fishing in New Zealand (Maxwell & Taylor 2005). Within this peer group, the 2013 survey results further support FGNZ’s case for a WCO on the upper Ngaruroro River (Table 6). The enjoyment and ROS scores for both the upper Ngaruroro and Taruarau exceed those for the upper Mohaka and upper Rangitikei, both of which are subject to current WCOs. The Taruarau River also has a higher angling productivity score than either the upper Rangitikei or Mohaka, although the corresponding figure for the upper Ngaruroro River is somewhat lower.

The 2014/15 National Angling Survey

Results

46 Estimated usage of the Ngaruroro River by New Zealand resident anglers over the 2014/15 angling season was 4,270 ± 540 angler-days. This compares with 3,760 angler-days in 1994/95, 6,240 angler-days in 2001/02, and 2,810 angler- days in 2007/08 (Unwin 2013a, 2016). Overseas visitors contributed a further 160 angler-days in 2007/08, and again in 2014/15.

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47 Ten rivers within the Ngaruroro catchment were fished by respondents to one or more of the four surveys conducted to date (Table 7). Other than the Ngaruroro River, only two tributaries (the Taruarau River and Ohara Stream) were recorded in all four surveys, and consistently attracted more than 100 angler-days per season. Usage of the Taruarau River (220 – 390 days) appears to have been relatively stable over time, whereas usage of Ohara Stream (120 – 580 days) has been more volatile.

48 The 2014/15 estimate confirms the status of the Ngaruroro River as one of the 50 most heavily fished rivers in New Zealand. Of 844 rivers fished during at least one of the four surveys since 1994/95, the Ngaruroro ranked 36th for usage in 1994/95; 26th in 2001/02; 42nd in 2007/08; and 35th in 2014/15 1. Mean annual usage (summed over both the upper and lower reaches) over this period was 4,230 ± 710 angler-days.

49 Usage estimates for the upper and lower reaches of the Ngaruroro River suggest that the upper reaches have continued to gain in popularity since reach-specific data were first collected in 2001/02. The upper reaches accounted for 58% of annual effort (2,470 angler-days) in 2014/15, compared to 16% (980 angler-days) in 2001/02, and 20-25% (550 angler-days) in 2007/08 (Table 8).

50 The 2014/15 estimate of 2,470 angler-days for the upper Ngaruroro River represents a level of usage similar to other back-country/headwater fisheries of comparable stature. These include the (2014/15 usage 2,560 ± 430 angler-days); the above Lumsden (2,340 ± 640 angler-days); the upper Wairau River (1,650 ± 330 angler-days); the Mohaka above the Mangatainoka confluence (1,590 ± 260 angler-days); and the (1,550 ± 330 angler-days). All except the Wairau River are subject to WCOs.

51 Relative to other Hawke's Bay rivers the upper Ngaruroro and Taruarau derive an unusually high proportion of their annual usage from anglers travelling from outside the Hawke's Bay region (Table 9). Visitors accounted for 38% and 46% of estimated effort on the upper Ngaruroro and Taruarau, respectively, compared to 29% on the lower Mohaka River (below SH5); 12-15% on the lower Ngaruroro, Tukituki, and upper Mohaka (above SH5); and 2-3% on the Tutaekuri River and Esk River. This pattern has also been apparent in previous surveys, albeit to a lesser degree (c.f. Unwin 2013a). It is consistent with the increased popularity of the upper Ngaruroro in 2014/15 (see paragraph 47), and also with a more general increase in the popularity of remote backcountry and headwater river fisheries throughout New Zealand (Unwin 2016).

1 The 1994/95 – 2007/08 surveys were restricted to the 12 regions administered by FGNZ, so do not include rivers in the Taupo Conservancy administered by the Department of Conservation. The 2014/15 survey included these waters.

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52 In a local and regional context, the Ngaruroro remains the fourth most heavily fished Hawke's Bay catchment after the Tukituki, Mohaka, and Tutaekuri. Collectively, these four catchments account for 88% of total effort in the Hawke's Bay region (Table 10). Usage of any one catchment varies by up to a factor of two from year to year, but the data are sufficiently consistent to suggest that usage of the Tukituki catchment is roughly double that of the Mohaka and Tutaekuri catchments; that usage of the Ngaruroro catchment is generally 25- 30% less than for the Mohaka and Tutaekuri; and that – within the Hawke's Bay region – this distribution of effort has remained relatively stable over the last 20 years.

Summary

53 The results of the 2014/15 national angling survey, together with those of its three predecessors, suggest that annual usage of the Ngaruroro River has remained relatively stable over the period of record (1994/95 – 2014/15), but that the upper reaches are becoming increasingly popular relative to the lower reaches.

54 The Ngaruroro River consistently ranks among the 50 most heavily fished rivers in New Zealand, ranging from 26th to 42nd over the four surveys completed since 1994/95. Usage of the upper river in 2014/15 (2,470 angler-days) is similar to figures for other back-country/headwater fisheries of comparable stature, including the Buller River, the upper Oreti River, the upper Wairau River, the Mohaka River above the Mangatainoka confluence, and the Ahuriri River.

55 Anglers from outside the Hawke's Bay region accounted for 38% and 46% of estimated effort on the upper Ngaruroro River and Taruarau River, respectively, during the 2014/15 angling season. This is consistent with results for other FGNZ regions, where the 2014/15 data strongly suggest a general trend towards increasing angler patronage of backcountry and headwater river fisheries throughout New Zealand (Unwin 2016).

Conclusions

56 Results from the two most recent FGNZ national angling surveys, in 2013 and 2014/15, strongly reinforce FGNZ’s view that the upper Ngaruroro River and Taruarau River sustain trout fisheries of national importance. In particular, the 2013 River Attributes survey characterises both fisheries in a way which is fully consistent with the findings of the 1979/81 survey, but is both more robust and more quantitative.

57 The upper Ngaruroro River was the 25th most highly valued of 431 New Zealand river fisheries analysed in detail. It ranks ahead of the upper Mataura River and Tongariro River, both of which have an international reputation. Its peers include rivers such as the Manganui-o-te-ao, Nevis, Maruia, and Ahuriri. With the

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exception of the Tongariro River, all of these rivers are subject to WCOs which explicitly or implicitly protect their trout habitat and angling values.

58 The upper Ngaruroro fishery lies well towards the upper end of the scale for both ROS character and angling productivity, but – in my opinion – probably not high enough to explain its exceptionally high enjoyment/importance score. In practice, I believe its enjoyment score is significantly enhanced by its status as one of the few North Island catchments which is highly elevated, receives abundant rainfall, and is dominated by tussock and grassland. This makes it a rare North Island example of a type of fishery which is much more common in the South Island, giving it a rarity value which greatly increases its importance to North Island anglers. Another factor not considered in the 2013 survey, or in any of its predecessors, is the dominance of rainbow trout (rather than brown trout), as described in detail by Mr McLean and other witnesses. Given the limited geographic distribution of rainbow trout relative to brown trout (McDowall 1990), the availability of rainbow trout is also likely to have enhanced angler’s ratings of its value.

59 The Taruarau River was the 9th most highly valued of the 431 river fisheries analysed, with the the 14th highest ROS score, and the 17th highest angling productivity score. For these reasons alone, it could well serve as the prototype for a high value headwater/wilderness fishery.

60 On the basis of these findings, the 2013 survey results for the upper Ngaruroro River and Taruarau River are consistent with FGNZ’s claim that both rivers sustain fisheries of sufficient quality to be considered as nationally important.

Martin Unwin 15 October 2017

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Bibliography

Jellyman, D.J.; Graynoth, E. (1994). Headwater trout fisheries in New Zealand. New Zealand Freshwater Research Report 12. 87 p.

Joyce, K.; Sutton, S. (2009). A method for automatic generation of the Recreation Opportunity Spectrum in New Zealand. Applied Geography 29: 409-418.

Maxwell, I.; Taylor, P. (2005). Central North Island back country angler opinion survey. Unpublished Report 64 p.

McDowall, R.M. (1990). New Zealand freshwater fishes: a natural history and guide. 2nd edition. Heinemann Reed, Auckland.

Richardson, J.; Unwin, M.J.; Teirney, L.D. (1984). The relative value of Hawke's Bay rivers to New Zealand anglers. Fisheries Environmental Report 42. 69 p.

Stankey, G.; Wood, J. (1982). The Recreation Opportunity Spectrum: an introduction. Australian Parks and Recreation 22: 5-13.

Teirney, L.D.; Richardson, J. (1992). Attributes that characterize angling rivers of importance in New Zealand, based on angler use and perceptions. North American Journal of Fisheries Management 12: 693-702.

Teirney, L.D.; Unwin, M.J.; Rowe, D.K.; McDowall, R.M.; Graynoth, E. (1982). Submission on the draft inventory of wild and scenic rivers of national importance. Fisheries Environmental Report 28. 122 p.

Unwin, M.J. (2009a). Angler usage of lake and river fisheries managed by Fish & Game New Zealand: results from the 2007/08 National Angling Survey. NIWA Client Report CHC2009-046. 48 p.

Unwin, M.J. (2009b). Attributes characterising river fisheries managed by Fish & Game New Zealand: a pilot survey of the Otago and Nelson/Marlborough regions. NIWA Client Report CHC2009-090. 37 p.

Unwin, M.J. (2013a). Angler usage of the Ngaruroro River. NIWA Client Report CHC- 2013-101. 26 p.

Unwin, M.J. (2013b). Values of New Zealand angling rivers: results of the 2013 National Angling Survey. Client Report CHC2013-120. 85 p.

Unwin, M.J. (2016). Angler usage of New Zealand lake and river fisheries: results from the 2014/15 National Angling Survey. NIWA Client Report 2016021CH. 142 p.

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Unwin, M.J.; Brown, S. (1998). The geography of freshwater angling in New Zealand: A summary of results from the 1994/96 National Angling Survey. NIWA Client Report CHC98/33. 78 p.

Unwin, M.J.; Image, K. (2003). Angler usage of lake and river fisheries managed by Fish & Game New Zealand: results from the 2001/02 National Angling Survey. NIWA Client Report CHC2003-114. 48 p.

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Table 1: Raw attribute scores for four selected Hawke's Bay river fisheries, and the Mataura River, as measured by the 2013 National Angling Survey.Cells representing the three most important attributes for each river are shaded.

Tukituki R Ngaruroro Ngaruroro R Taruarau R Mataura R River (lower) R (lower) (upper) (upper) Number of 153 115 95 38 188 responses Enjoyment 2.48 2.45 3.13 3.47 3.03 score Attribute scores Close to 67 (44%) 48 (42%) 13 (14%) 2 (5%) 43 (23%) home Close to 8 (5%) 4 (3%) 1 (1%) 0 13 (7%) holiday home Easy access 93 (61%) 50 (43%) 15 (16%) 2 (5%) 94 (50%) to river Plenty of 94 (61%) 57 (50%) 35 (37%) 6 (16%) 112 (60%) fishable water Scenic 17 (11%) 24 (21%) 45 (47%) 25 (66%) 16 (9%) beauty Wilderness 3 (2%) 21 (18%) 54 (57%) 27 (71%) 9 (5%) feeling Angling 13 (8%) 24 (21%) 34 (36%) 19 (50%) 47 (25%) challenge Expect good catch 49 (32%) 19 (17%) 10 (11%) 12 (32%) 76 (40%) rate Chance to catch 3 (2%) 3 (3%) 15 (16%) 8 (21%) 18 (10%) trophy fish

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Table 2: Enjoyment/importance scores for 43 rivers above the 90th percentile. Rivers are ordered by FGNZ/DoC region, and then by catchment order within regions.The last two columns show rivers which have been granted Water Conservation Orders (WCOs), as indicated by their MfE reference number (see http://www.mfe.govt.nz/fresh-water/water-conservation-orders/existing-water-conservation-orders), and rivers considered to sustain headwater trophy fisheries (Jellyman & Graynoth 1994).

Number of Mean enjoyment/ Enjoyment/ WCO Headwater Region River (reach) responses importance score importance rank status trout fishery? Auckland/ Whanganui River (above Whakapapa) 90 3.07 30 yes Auckland/Waikato Whakapapa River 97 3.36 14 yes Eastern Waioeka River 50 3.04 32 Eastern Waiau River 18 3.28 16 Eastern Ruakituri River 59 3.97 2 Taupo Conservancy Tongariro River 250 2.97 38 Taranaki Manganui-o-te-ao River 64 3.55 6 1989/52 yes Hawke's Bay Inangatahi Stream 16 2.94 41 2004/397 Hawke's Bay Ripia River 27 3.04 33 2004/397 Hawke's Bay Oamaru River 22 3.14 24 2004/397 Hawke's Bay Ngaruroro River (above Taruarau) 95 3.13 25 yes Hawke's Bay Taruarau River 38 3.47 9 yes Hawke's Bay Ikawetea Stream 12 3.50 8 Wellington Makuri River 39 3.33 15 Nelson-Marlborough Opawa River 15 2.93 42 Nelson-Marlborough 56 3.00 37 2001/139 yes Nelson-Marlborough Sabine River 29 2.97 39 2001/139 yes Nelson-Marlborough D`Urville River 37 3.16 23 2001/139 yes Nelson-Marlborough Travers River 27 3.15 26 2001/139 yes West Coast Orangipuku River 18 3.00 36

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Number of Mean enjoyment/ Enjoyment/ WCO Headwater Region River (reach) responses importance score importance rank status trout fishery? West Coast Rough River 43 3.19 20 West Coast Ohikanui River 16 3.44 11 2001/139 yes West Coast Mokihinui River 35 3.46 10 yes West Coast Karamea River 39 3.26 17 yes West Coast Roaring Lion River 12 3.92 3 West Coast Leslie River 10 3.60 5 West Coast Crow River 12 4.08 1 North Canterbury Doubtful River 10 3.20 18 yes Central South Island Maerewhenua River 29 2.93 43 Central South Island Ahuriri River 112 3.02 35 1990/156 yes Central South Island Fraser Stream 11 3.18 21 Otago Nevis River 37 3.19 19 1997/38 yes Otago Lochy River 19 2.95 40 1997/38 yes Otago Greenstone River 35 3.43 12 1997/38 yes Otago Caples River 27 3.41 13 1997/38 yes Otago Hunter River 44 3.09 28 yes Otago Young River 16 3.06 31 Southland Mataura River (above Gore) 188 3.03 34 1997/126 Southland Waiau River (Te Anau - Manapouri) 82 3.10 27 Southland Wairaki River 11 3.09 29 yes Southland Eglinton River 48 3.17 22 Southland Worsley Stream 17 3.53 7 yes Southland Clinton River 21 3.62 4 yes

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Table 3: ROS scores (PC1) for 35 Hawke's Bay river fisheries, in descending order, as derived from the 2013 survey. Number of River / fishery responses ROS score Kaipo River 12 0.889 Ikawetea Stream 12 0.747 Makino River 20 0.665 Taruarau River 38 0.631 Ripia River 27 0.585 Makahu River 20 0.517 Oamaru River 22 0.512 Inangatahi Stream 16 0.457 Waikoau River 13 0.455 Waipunga River 42 0.431 Donald River 13 0.412 Te Hoe River 16 0.392 Ngaruroro River (above Taruarau confluence) 95 0.334 Mohaka River (above Mangatainoka confluence) 138 0.319 Hautapu River 23 0.257 Mangatainoka River 27 0.189 Ohara Stream 24 0.164 Mangatutu Stream 30 0.148 Makaroro River 22 0.081 Mohaka River (Mangatainoka to SH5 bridge) 163 0.043 Maraetotara River 29 0.010 Aropaoanui River 19 -0.003 Makaretu River 10 -0.106 Mohaka River (below SH5 bridge) 150 -0.135 Tutaekuri Waimate Stream 17 -0.165 Mangaone River 58 -0.184 Esk River 69 -0.218 Ngaruroro River (below Taruarau confluence) 115 -0.291 Tukituki River (above Waipawa confluence) 134 -0.373 Tukipo River 36 -0.425 Mangaonuku Stream 36 -0.504 Tukituki River (Waipawa confluence to Patangata bridge) 147 -0.525 Tutaekuri River 93 -0.566 Tukituki River (below Patangata bridge) 153 -0.604 Waipawa River 78 -0.618

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Table 4: Criteria used to classify nationally important river fisheries into recreational/lowland, scenic/backcountry, and wilderness/headwater categories.Adapted from Unwin (2013a).

Type of fishery Wilderness / Attribute Recreational / lowland Scenic / backcountry headwater Location May be close to Usually remote from Remote from population centres population centres population centres Access Easily accessible by Accessible by road Not accessible by road road Level of usage Attract large numbers of May attract large Not fished by large anglers numbers of anglers numbers of anglers Distribution of anglers Attract visiting anglers May attract visiting May attract visiting from well beyond the anglers from well anglers from well local area beyond the local area beyond the local area Area of fishable water Extensive Extensive Extensive Scenic beauty and Not necessarily high Usually high Exceptional solitude Catch rates High Intermediate Relatively high Size of fish May be relatively small Variable Large Preferred angling Spinning Spinning and artificial Artificial flies methods flies Main associated Picnicking Camping, picnicking Camping, tramping, activities shooting Modifications to May be relatively major No major modifications Minor or absent catchment

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Table 5: Angling productivity (PC2) scores for 35 Hawke's Bay river fisheries, in descending order, as derived from the 2013 survey. Angling Number of productivity River / fishery responses sore Taruarau River 38 0.370 Mohaka River (Mangatainoka to SH5 bridge) 163 0.357 Mohaka River (below SH5 bridge) 150 0.338 Mohaka River (above Mangatainoka confluence) 138 0.334 Te Hoe River 16 0.309 Ripia River 27 0.304 Tukituki River (Waipawa confluence to Patangata bridge) 147 0.265 Ikawetea Stream 12 0.252 Waipawa River 78 0.243 Ngaruroro River (above Taruarau confluence) 95 0.238 Oamaru River 22 0.227 Tukituki River (below Patangata bridge) 153 0.212 Hautapu River 23 0.205 Tukituki River (above Waipawa confluence) 134 0.188 Makino River 20 0.162 Ngaruroro River (below Taruarau confluence) 115 0.096 Waipunga River 42 0.096 Kaipo River 12 0.077 Ohara Stream 24 0.054 Mangatutu Stream 30 0.046 Mangatainoka River 27 0.042 Mangaonuku Stream 36 0.037 Makaretu River 10 0.022 Inangatahi Stream 16 0.017 Tukipo River 36 -0.016 Makahu River 20 -0.030 Aropaoanui River 19 -0.032 Tutaekuri River 93 -0.044 Donald River 13 -0.046 Waikoau River 13 -0.050 Esk River 69 -0.055 Makaroro River 22 -0.082 Mangaone River 58 -0.093 Tutaekuri Waimate Stream 17 -0.186 Maraetotara River 29 -0.238

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Table 6: Mean enjoyment score, ROS score, and angling productivity scores for the upper Ngaruroro and Taruarau Rivers, and two central North Island rivers (upper Mohaka and upper Rangitikei) protected by current WCOs.

Rangitikei R (above Ngaruroro R Mohaka R (above Mangaohane Fishery Taruarau R (above Taruarau) Mangatainoka) Bridge) Number of responses 38 95 138 112 Mean enjoyment score 3.47 3.13 2.91 2.75 ROS score 0.631 0.334 0.319 0.171 Angling productivity 0.370 0.238 0.334 0.345

Table 7: Estimated annual usage (angler-days ± 1 standard error) for 10 rivers within the Ngaruroro catchment, 1994/95 - 2014/15.Figures for the most lightly used rivers, particularly those where the standard error equals the estimated usage, are likely to be based on a single response.

River/Stream 1994/95 2001/02 2007/08 2014/15

Ngaruroro River 3,760 ± 170 6,240 ± 720 2,810 ± 420 4,270 ± 540

Taruarau River 220 ± 80 360 ± 150 280 ± 110 390 ± 130

Mangatahi Stream 70 ± 70 180 ± 110

Ohara Stream 170 ± 20 290 ± 140 120 ± 70 580 ± 330

Otamauri Stream 10 ± 10 50 ± 40 70 ± 70

Tutaekuri Waimate Stream 30 ± 30 170 ± 100

Waitio Stream 20 ± 20

Mangatarata Stream 40 ± 40

Ikawetea Stream 70 ± 70

Poporangi Stream 100 ± 20 10 ± 10

Whanaukini Stream 10 ± 10

Ngaawapurua Stream 20 ± 20

Table 8: Estimated annual usage (angler-days ± 1 standard error) of the Ngaruroro mainstem by reach, 2001/02 - 2014/15. Reach 2001/02 2007/08 2014/15

Above Taruarau confluence 980 ± 280 550 ± 160 2,470 ± 440

Below Taruarau confluence 5,150 ± 660 1,680 ± 300 1,810 ± 310

Undefined 110 ± 50 580 ± 250

Total, all reaches 6,240 ± 720 2,810 ± 420 4,270 ± 540

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Table 9: Estimated annual usage (angler-days ± 1 standard error) for 9 Hawke's Bay river fisheries by angler origin, 2014/15. The final column (% visitors) gives the proportion of of total usage contributed by anglers holding licences purchased outside the Hawke's Bay region, expressed as a percentage.

Angler origin

s Bay s '

River Total % visitors

Other North Island North Other Eastern Hawke Wellington

Tukituki River 460 ± 150 50 ± 40 8,260 ± 980 650 ± 190 9,420 ± 1,010 12% Mohaka River below SH5 110 ± 70 350 ± 250 1,900 ± 300 320 ± 140 2,680 ± 420 29%

SH5 – Mangatainoka) 150 ± 70 10 ± 10 1,260 ± 240 60 ± 60 1,480 ± 260 15%

above Mangatainoka) 140 ± 80 60 ± 10 1,350 ± 250 50 ± 30 1,590 ± 260 15%

Tutaekuri River 5,560 ± 1,090 160 ± 80 5,720 ± 1,090 3% Ngaruroro River below Taruarau) 20 ± 20 170 ± 160 1,530 ± 250 90 ± 90 1,810 ± 310 15%

above Taruarau) 270 ± 120 400 ± 300 1,530 ± 260 270 ± 150 2,470 ± 440 38%

Taruarau River 210 ± 70 170 ± 100 390 ± 130 46%

Esk River 1,500 ± 390 20 ± 20 1,530 ± 390 2%

Table 10: Estimated annual usage by New Zealand resident anglers (angler-days ± 1 standard error) for 8 Hawke's Bay catchments, 1994/95 - 2014/15. Catchments are sorted by mean annual usage, in descending order.

Catchment 1994/95 2001/02 2007/08 2014/15 Mean

Tukituki 15,100 ± 420 21,000 ± 1,560 10,560 ± 970 12,320 ± 1,180 14,750 ± 1,110

Mohaka 4,490 ± 220 7,820 ± 730 9,290 ± 1,910 6,760 ± 610 7,090 ± 1,080

Tutaekuri 8,060 ± 250 7,470 ± 790 5,680 ± 710 6,520 ± 1,120 6,940 ± 790

Ngaruroro 4,250 ± 190 7,080 ± 760 3,320 ± 430 5,530 ± 660 5,050 ± 560

Aropaoanui 3,160 ± 150 2,720 ± 480 2,390 ± 750 2,800 ± 490 2,770 ± 520

Esk 1,950 ± 90 190 ± 50 870 ± 200 1,530 ± 390 1,140 ± 230

Maraetotara 700 ± 190 140 ± 90 110 ± 80 220 ± 100 290 ± 120

Waikari 120 ± 40 10 ± 10 270 ± 130 90 ± 70

Total, all catchments 37,830 ± 630 46,430 ± 2,060 32,490 ± 2,430 35,680 ± 1,960 38,110 ± 1,910

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1 Crow R 12 Greenstone R 23 D`Urville R 34 Mataura R (upper) 2 Ruakituri R 13 Caples R 24 Oamaru R 35 Ahuriri R 3 Roaring Lion R 14 Whakapapa R 25 Ngaruroro R (upper) 36 Orangipuku R 4 Clinton R 15 Makuri R 26 Travers R 37 Maruia R 5 Leslie R 16 Waiau R 27 Waiau R (Te Anau) 38 Tongariro R 6 Manganui-o-te-ao R 17 Karamea R 28 Hunter R 39 Sabine R 7 Worsley Stm 18 Doubtful R 29 Wairaki R 40 Lochy R 8 Ikawetea Stm 19 Nevis R 30 Whanganui R (upper) 41 Inangatahi Stm 9 Taruarau R 20 Rough R 31 Young R 42 Opawa R 10 Mokihinui R 21 Fraser Stm 32 Waioeka R 43 Maerewhenua R 11 Ohikanui R 22 Eglinton R 33 Ripia R

Figure 1: ROS score (PC1) vs angling productivity score (PC2) for 431 rivers fished by at least 10 respondents.The 43 rivers above the 90th percentile for enjoyment/ importance score are overlaid in red, numbered in descending order. See paragraphs 36-44 for a detailed interpretation of this graphic.

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