_________________________________________________ The Impact of Environmental Changes on Lake Waikaremoana and Lake Waikareiti, Te Urewera March 2004 Garth Cant Robin Hodge Vaughan Wood Leanne Boulton __________________________________________ Report Commissioned by the Waitangi Tribunal Waikaremoana Environment Report 2 Contents CONTENTS........................................................................................................ 2 FIGURES ........................................................................................................... 8 ABBREVIATIONS.............................................................................................. 9 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................ 11 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................... 13 1.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................13 1.2. The Natural Environments...............................................................................................................13 1.3. An Environmental Time Line...........................................................................................................19 1.3.1. Scenery Preservation, Recreational Fishing and Tourist Promotion............................................22 1.3.2. Hydro-electric Power...................................................................................................................23 1.3.3. Litigation and Protest...................................................................................................................24 1.4. Claims Concerning the Impacts of Environmental Changes at Waikaremoana .........................26 1.4.1. The Initial Claims ........................................................................................................................26 1.4.2. The Particularised Claims............................................................................................................29 Ownership of the Bed of Lake Waikaremoana .................................................................................30 Infringements of the Rights of Iwi and Hapu as Owners of the Bed of Lake Waikaremoana ..........30 Right to Use Water for Lake Waikaremoana for Hydro-electric Purposes.......................................31 Acknowledgement and Protection of the Spiritual Significance of the Lake Waikaremoana...........31 Acknowledgement and Protection of the Kaitiakitanga Rights to Lake Waikaremoana ..................32 Acknowledgement and Protection of Access and Use Rights to Lake Waikaremoana ....................32 Environmental Changes and Damage to the Lake Water, Bed and Foreshore..................................32 Consultation with and Involvement of Iwi and Hapu in the Management of Lake Waikaremoana .33 Crown Actions relating to the Foreshore of Lake Waikaremoana....................................................35 Crown Actions relating to Rivers, Streams and Waterways including the Waikaretaheke River.....35 1.5. The Environmental Research Commission .....................................................................................39 1.6. The Organisation of the Research....................................................................................................42 1.7. The Organisation of the Report .......................................................................................................44 PART I: ............................................................................................................ 48 Waikaremoana Environment Report 3 CHAPTER 2: TROUT – INTRODUCTION TO THE LAKES AND FISHERIES MANAGEMENT ............................................................................................... 48 2.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................48 2.2. Indigenous Species in Lakes Waikaremoana and Waikareiti ......................................................48 2.2.1. Indigenous Fish...................................................................................................................48 2.2.2. Fish as a Resource for Waikaremoana Maori ..............................................................................52 2.3. The Introduction of Trout Species to New Zealand .......................................................................53 2.3.1. New Zealand Acclimatisation Societies .............................................................................53 2.3.2. Acclimatisation Societies and Lakes Waikaremoana and Waikareiti..........................................54 2.3.3. Trout – Introduction and a Brief Natural History in New Zealand..............................................57 2.3.4. Protective Legislation for Trout...................................................................................................58 2.3.4(a). Salmon and Trout Act 1867...............................................................................................58 2.3.4(b). Subsequent Legislation......................................................................................................59 2.4. Release of Trout into Waikaremoana and Waikareiti ..................................................................63 2.4.1. First Releases..............................................................................................................................63 2.4.2. Subsequent Releases....................................................................................................................67 2.4. The Release of Trout and Maori .....................................................................................................68 2.4.1. Initial Introductions .....................................................................................................................68 2.4.2. Maori Response to Trout Introduction........................................................................................70 2.5. Management of the Fisheries...........................................................................................................73 2.5.1. Regulatory Regime .....................................................................................................................73 2.5.2. Fishery Management...................................................................................................................75 2.5.2(a). Shags .................................................................................................................................75 2.5.2(b). The Waikaremoana Hatchery............................................................................................76 2.5.2(c). Reports, Investigations, and Scientific Surveys.................................................................80 1910s, Lake Ayson.......................................................................................................................80 1920s, William Cobeldick............................................................................................................81 1950, P Dickinson ........................................................................................................................82 1970s, Peter Mylechreest and others............................................................................................84 2.5.2(d). Fish Barrier........................................................................................................................86 2.6. Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................87 CHAPTER 3: TOURISM AT LAKE WAIKAREMOANA – POLLUTION OF THE WATERS.......................................................................................................... 92 3.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................................92 Waikaremoana Environment Report 4 3.2. The Collection and Disposal of Human Sewage.............................................................................93 3.2.1. Lake House, to 1970s .................................................................................................................93 3.2.2. Camping Ground, to 1970s.........................................................................................................94 3.2.3. Private Camps and Huts..............................................................................................................96 3.2.4. Camps on Maori Land ................................................................................................................99 3.2.5. Huts in Urewera National Park.................................................................................................100 3.3. Closure of Lake House and Development of Motor Camp, 1970s..............................................101 3.4. Sewage Collection and Disposal Schemes, from 1974..................................................................105 3.4.1. Lake Waikaremoana Motor Camp.............................................................................................105 3.4.2. Huts and Freedom Campsites within the Lake Catchment Area ...............................................107 3.5. Waikaremoana Maori and the Sewage Schemes ..........................................................................108