IMAF Water-based recreation on the lower Clutha River Fisheries Environmental Report No. 61 lirllilr' Fisheries Research Division N.Z. Ministry of Agriculture and F¡sheries lssN 01't1-4794 Fisheries Environmental Report No. 61 t^later-based necreation on the I ower Cl utha R'i ver by R. ldhiting Fisheries Research Division N.Z. Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Roxbu rgh January I 986 FISHERIES ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTS Th'is report js one of a series of reports jssued by Fisheries Research Dìvjsion on important issues related to environmental matters. They are i ssued under the fol I owi ng cri teri a: (1) They are'informal and should not be cited wjthout the author's perm'issi on. (2) They are for l'imited c'irculatjon, so that persons and organ'isat'ions normal ly rece'ivi ng F'i sheries Research Di vi si on publ'i cat'ions shoul d not expect to receive copies automatically. (3) Copies will be issued in'itjaììy to organ'isations to which the report 'i s d'i rectìy rel evant. (4) Copi es wi I 1 be i ssued to other appropriate organ'isat'ions on request to Fì sherì es Research Dj vi si on, M'inì stry of Agricu'lture and Fisheries, P0 Box 8324, Riccarton, Christchurch. (5) These reports wi'lì be issued where a substant'ial report is required w'ith a time constraint, êg., a submiss'ion for a tnibunal hearing. (6) They will also be issued as interim reports of on-going environmental studies for which year by year orintermìttent reporting is advantageous. These interìm reports wiì1 not preclude f ormal sci ent'if i c publ'icat'ion . MAF Li brari es catal ogui ng-'in-publ i cat'ion data t,lHITING, R. (Rosal'ind) Water-based recreation on the lower Clutha River. - Roxburgh : Fi sheri es Research Di v'i si on, Mi ni stry of Agri culture and Fi sheri es, 1986. 155 p. - (Fisheries env'ironmental report, ISSN 0IIl-4794; n0.61). 1. Aquat'ic sports - New Zeal and - Cl utha Ri ver . 2. hJatersheds - Recreational use - New Zealand - Clutha R'iver. 3. Clutha River - New Zealand - Recreational act'ivìtìes I. Title II. Serìes rsBN 0-477-03088-2 797.0993157 CONTENTS Page 1. Summary 9 2. Intnoducti on 10 3. Factors Affecting Use of the Lower Clutha River's 15 l,later-Based Recreational Resources 3.1 Centres of Popuìat'ion and Accommodation Faci ì'ities 15 3.2 Access to the Lower Clutha R'iver 19 3.3 Recreational Faci I iti es 2L 3.4 l¡leather Condi t'i ons 2L 3.5 Ri ver Conditions 23 3.6 Administration and Regul ations 26 3.6.1 Fi sheri es 26 3.6 .2 l,/aterfowl 29 3.7 F'i sh Popul ati ons 29 3.7.1 Native Species 29 3.7 . 1 .1 Long-fi nned eel (anguirra 29 díeffenbachii ) 3.7.1.2 Short-finned eel (anguilla 29 austratrs) 3.7.1.3 Inanga (calaxÍas naculatus) 30 3.7.1.4 Black flounden (Rhornbosolea 30 retiaria) 3.7.? Introduced Species 31 3.7.2.1 Brown Trout (salro Èrutta) 31 3.7.2.2 Rainbow Trout (salmo gai*tnerii) 32 3.7 .2.3 Qui nnat Salmon (oncorhgnchus 33 tshawgtscha 3.7 .2.4 Perch (eerca fl.uviatjlis) 36 3.8 Future Developments on the River 38 3.8.1 Forestry 38 3.8.2 Li gni te Mi ni ng 38 3.8.3 Consumptive Uses of the Cìutha River 39 l^later 3.8.4 Hydro-electric Power Generation 39 4. l,later-Based Recreati on 43 4.I Methods 43 4.? Results 47 4.2.I Seasonal Variations 53 4.?.2 Relative Populanity of Zones 61 4.3 D'i scussi on 62 Page 5. Angl i ng 7t 5.1 Methods 7L 5.1.1 Anglers' Postal Sampìe Survey 7T 5.L.2 Angler Interviews 73 5.1.3 Angl i ng D'i ary Scheme 74 5.1.4 Loca'l Angìer Att'itude and Preference 75 Quest'ionnai re 1984 5.2 Results 76 5.2.I Ang'lers' Postal Survey 76 5.2.1 .1 The Repì i es 76 5.2.I.? Number of Lower Clutha River 76 Angì ers 5.2.1.3 Angling Effort 80 5.?.L.4 Total Catch of Saìmon and Brown 82 Trout 5.2.I.5 Catch and Effort 85 5.2.I.6 Areas Fi shed 89 5.2.2 Angler Interviews 90 5.2.2.1 Response, SeasonalitY, and 90 Zonati on 5.2.2.2 Chanacteri sti cs of Intervi ewed 93 Angl ers 5.2.?.3 Methods of Fi shi ng 97 5,2.2.4 Catch and Effort 98 5.2.3 Angì i ng lJi ary Scheme 101 5.2.3.I Fishing Effot"t 101 5.2.3.2 Variation in Effort over Season LO2 5.2.3.3 Species Caught 103 5.2.3.4 Catch Rate 107 5.?.3.5 Fi shi ng Methods 109 5.2.3.6 Fi shi ng Locati ons 109 5.2.3.7 Di ari sts' Comments 111 5.2.4 Angler Attitude and Preference Questionnaire TT? 5.2.4.1 Pref erred Type of Fi shi ng l''later' LTz 5.2.4.2 Important Fi shi ng Local i ti es L).2 5.?.4.3 Act'ivities Associated w'ith Angling 115 5.3 Di scussi on 11s 6. Concl usi ons 124 7. Acknowl edgments L29 8. Literature Cited 130 Append'ix I. Lower Clutha R'iver Recreational Survey 138 Form Append'ix IIa. Anglers' Postal Survey Questionnaire 139 b. Anglers' Postal Survey Covering Letter 140 C. Anglers' Postal Survey First Reminder 141 Letter Page d. Anglers' Postal Survey Second Reminder 142 Letter ê. Anglers' Postal Survey "Thank you" 143 Letter Appendix IIIa. Angler Interview Form I44 b. Localities Incìuded in each Region used 14b to Categori se 0r'igi n of Ang'lers Appendix IVa. Angler Diary 146 b. Angler Dìary Covering Letter 151 c. Angìer Diary Summer Reminder Letter L52 d. Anglen Diary Final Reminder Letter 153 e. Angìer Diary "Thank you" Letter 154 Appendix V. Angler Att'itude and Prefenence Questionnaire 155 TABLES 1. Population of locaì towns 'in and anound the lower 16 Clutha River study area 2. Accommodation facilit'ies in local towns in and L7 around the lower Clutha River study anea 3. Monthly discharge rate over spÍìlways at Roxburgh ?5 Power Station, April 1983 - September 1984. 4. Number of f i shi ng I i cence hol ders 'i n Otago Accl i mat'i sati on 27 Society district for selected years, 1958-83 5. Estimated angìer catches of anadromous quinnat salmon 35 on the lower Clutha River, 1979-84 6. Locat'ions visited during the recreational survey, Octoben 45 1983 - September 1984 7. Number of days sampled in each zone of the lower 46 Clutha River, 0ctober' 1983 - September 1984 .lower 8. Recreational activity observed on the Clutha 48 River, October 1983 - September 1984 9. Average numbers of people observed per survey day on 50 the lower Clutha River, 1983-84 10. Average numbers of vehicìes, craft, and camps observed 52 per survey day on the lower Clutha River, 1983-84 11. Age and sex of people observed on the lower Clutha 54 Ri ver, 1983-84 12. Average numbers of peopìe per survey day obsenved in 55 each zone of the lower Clutha River, 1983-84 Page 13. Average numbens of people, vehicles, craft, and 56 camps observed per sunvey day in Zone A of the lower Cl utha R'i ver, 1983-84 14. Average numbers of people, vehicles, craft, and camps 57 observed per sunvey day in Zone B of the lower Clutha Ri ver, 1983-84 15. Average numbers of people, vehicles, craft, and camps 58 observed per survey day in Zone C of the lower Cìutha Ri ver', 1983-84 16. Average numbers of peopìe, vehic'les, craft, and camPs 59 observed per survey day in Zone D of the lower Cìutha Ri ver, 1983-84 17. Average numbers of people, vehicìes, craft, and camPs 60 observed pen survey day in Zone E of the lower Clutha Ri ver, 1983-84 18. Popular pastimes on Lake Roxburgh of questionnaire 65 res pondents 19. Average number of peopìe per survey day observed on 70 South Island rivers on weekends and public hoìidays and weekdays 20. Percentage of recreat'ional activities undertaken on the 70 Ahuriri, Oret'i, Rangitata and lower Clutha Rivers 2L. Number of usable replies received 'in the lower Clutha 77 River ang'ling posta'l questionnaire, L982/83 fishing season 22. Relationsh'ip between response time and percentage 78 of lower Clutha anglers in the sample of Otago adult and junior l'icence hoìders, L982183 fishing season 23. Est'imated numbers of adult and junior licence 79 holders fishing the lower Clutha R'iver, L982/83 fj shÍ ng season 'limits) 24. Estimated angling effort (and 95% confidence on 81 the lower Clutha River, 1982/83 fish'ing season 25. Actual and average numbers of salmon and brown trout caught 84 and kept by survey respondents, 1982/83 fishing season' ì ower Cl utha R'i ver 26. Estimated catch (and 95% confidence limits) of salmon and B5 brown trout from the lower Clutha River by 0tago adults and juniors, L982183 fish'ing season 27. Relat'ive popuìarity of five zones of the ìowen Cìutha 90 Ri ver Page ?8.