CRITICAL HABITAT FOR CANTERBURY FRESHWATER FISH, KŌURA/KĒKĒWAI AND KĀKAHI REPORT PREPARED FOR CANTERBURY REGIONAL COUNCIL BY RICHARD ALLIBONE WATERWAYS CONSULTING REPORT NUMBER: 55-2018 AND DUNCAN GRAY CANTERBURY REGIONAL COUNCIL DATE: DECEMBER 2018 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Aquatic habitat in Canterbury supports a range of native freshwater fish and the mega macroinvertebrates kōura/kēkēwai (crayfish) and kākahi (mussel). Loss of habitat, barriers to fish passage, water quality and water quantity issues present management challenges when we seek to protect this freshwater fauna while providing for human use. Water plans in Canterbury are intended to set rules for the use of water, the quality of water in aquatic systems and activities that occur within and adjacent to aquatic areas. To inform the planning and resource consent processes, information on the distribution of species and their critical habitat requirements can be used to provide for their protection. This report assesses the conservation status and distributions of indigenous freshwater fish, kēkēwai and kākahi in the Canterbury region. The report identifies the geographic distribution of these species and provides information on the critical habitat requirements of these species and/or populations. Water Ways Consulting Ltd Critical habitats for Canterbury aquatic fauna Table of Contents 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 1 2 Methods ............................................................................................................................................... 1 3 Classification of Canterbury Region Freshwater fish ........................................................................... 2 3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 2 3.2 Canterbury Only Species ......................................................................................................... 2 3.3 Highly Threatened Species (not endemic to Canterbury) ....................................................... 3 3.4 Regionally Rare ....................................................................................................................... 3 3.5 Threatened and At Risk Species: Inland .................................................................................. 3 3.6 Threatened and At Risk Species: Coastal and Plains ............................................................... 4 3.7 Distinctive Populations ........................................................................................................... 4 3.8 Invertebrate Mega Fauna ....................................................................................................... 5 3.9 Not Threatened Species .......................................................................................................... 5 4 Species Distributions and Critical habitats ........................................................................................... 5 4.1 Canterbury Only Species ......................................................................................................... 5 4.1.1 Bignose galaxias .............................................................................................................. 5 4.1.2 Lowland longjaw galaxias ................................................................................................ 9 4.1.3 Upland longjaw galaxias ................................................................................................ 10 4.1.4 Upland longjaw galaxias ‘Waitaki’ ................................................................................ 11 4.1.5 Stokell’s smelt ............................................................................................................... 11 Highly Threatened Species ................................................................................................................ 13 4.1.6 Canterbury mudfish ...................................................................................................... 13 4.2 Regionally Rare ..................................................................................................................... 15 4.2.1 Giant kōkopu ................................................................................................................. 15 4.2.2 Shortjaw kōkopu ........................................................................................................... 17 4.3 Threatened and At Risk Species: Inland ................................................................................ 19 4.3.1 Kōaro ............................................................................................................................. 19 4.3.2 Longfin eel ..................................................................................................................... 19 4.3.3 Canterbury galaxias ....................................................................................................... 19 4.3.4 Alpine galaxias ............................................................................................................... 20 4.3.5 Northern flathead galaxias ............................................................................................ 21 4.3.6 Dwarf galaxias ............................................................................................................... 22 4.4 Threatened and At Risk Species: Coastal and Plains ............................................................. 22 4.4.1 Lamprey ........................................................................................................................ 22 i Water Ways Consulting Ltd Critical habitats for Canterbury aquatic fauna 4.4.2 Torrentfish..................................................................................................................... 24 4.4.3 Bluegill bully .................................................................................................................. 27 4.4.4 Inanga ............................................................................................................................ 29 4.5 Distinctive populations ......................................................................................................... 30 4.5.1 Inland lake kōaro ........................................................................................................... 30 4.6 Invertebrate mega fauna ...................................................................................................... 32 4.6.1 Freshwater Mussels/Kākahi .......................................................................................... 32 4.6.2 Freshwater Crayfish/Kēkēwai ....................................................................................... 37 5 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................... 43 6 References ......................................................................................................................................... 46 Appendix A Distribution Maps .............................................................................................................. 51 LIST OF TABLES Table 1: List of freshwater fish and mega macroinvertebrates, their threat status and distribution .. 44 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Mature bignose galaxias (~60mm long).. ........................................................................... 5 Figure 2: Spring source habitat and run habitat where pelagic juveniles can be observed . ........... 6 Figure 3: Brown trout found with a bignose galaxias inside its gut. ................................................. 7 Figure 4: Fork Stream NZFFD record locations with upland longjaw, bignose and alpine galaxiid locations (left) and brown trout and rainbow trout locations (right). ............................... 8 Figure 5: Electric fishing adult riffle habitat (left) and larval fish pool habitat. .............................. 10 Figure 6: Channelised Canterbury mudfish habitat and a culvert fish passage barrier along a mudfish stream ................................................................................................................ 14 Figure 7: Examples of Canterbury mudfish habitat: spring-fed stream, wetland pool, farm drain and artificial pond............................................................................................................. 15 Figure 8: Giant kōkopu. ................................................................................................................... 16 Figure 9: Shortjaw kōkopu............................................................................................................... 18 Figure 10: Ripe female Canterbury galaxias. ..................................................................................... 19 Figure 11: Common size range of alpine galaxiids (left) and a large individual (right) from a Rakaia River tributary. ................................................................................................................. 20 Figure 12: Lamprey within a nest in Kinloch Stream. Larval fish present on the right of the image 23 Figure 13: Locations of lamprey spawning sites in the Kinloch Stream, Banks Peninsula.. .............. 24 Figure 14: Habitat preferences for torrentfish from Jowett & Richardson