Water Scene 2020 by Wairarapa Times-Age

2020

CELEBRATING OUR WATERBASED LIFESTYLE

Lifeguards ready for summer start at Riversdale Riversdale Beach’s surf lifeguards will be back in action from Saturday 7 December, with a great new intake training to be lifeguards for the upcoming summer. Weekend patrols will start on Saturday 28 November between noon and 5pm. The club will patrol Christmas Day 25 December between noon and 5pm, then daily patrols until Sunday 31 January between 9.30am to 5.30 at both North and South ends. The Nipper carnival is on Sunday 24 January. Weekend patrols will resume after this from noon to 5pm until 7 March when the club closes down until Easter when it will do the last patrols for the season between noon and 5pm. Information on Nippers can be found on the web at www.riversdalesurf.org.nz then click on nippers. Under the watchful eye of an all-Boys patrol Photo: Michael Taylor

Rips are a major reason for rescues and anyone who

We sell everything from beer, wine, takeaways, ice creams to coffee and general store items. Fresh food made daily like carrot cake and sandwiches. Find all your fishing requirements from bait to local fishing knowledge at our store.

gets caught in a rip should remember and practise the 3Rs to give them the best chance of getting to safety. • Relax and ˜ oat to conserve your energy • Raise your hand to signal for help • Ride the rip until you can swim safely back to shore or help arrives. • This year’s message is to “Save the Males” as research shows 89% of drownings are males. Don’t take the environment for granted, get ÿ t, read the waves. Dwayne Johnson “The Rock” is to spearhead this #SaveTheMales To ÿ nd out more contact Club Captain Mike Taylor Phone (06) 372 3700 or 0274 626 260 or beaumaris@wise.net.nz, visit “Riversdale Beach Surf Life Saving Club” on Facebook or email riversdaleslsc@gmail.com

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Castlepoint Fishing Club Competition kicks off another 25 years

2020

CELEBRATING OUR WATERBASED LIFESTYLE

Next January the Castlepoint Fishing Club celebrates 26 years of its annual fishing competition. Taking place on Friday 8 and Saturday 9 January, this family-friendly event has something for everyone. The unique geography of Castlepoint Beach means that everyone has a chance of winning big. With both boat-based and land-based fishing options, the event provides plenty of opportunities to win great prizes. Among the big fish prizes is $1000 cash from Team Bevan Saywell at Tremains Real Estate for Heaviest Kahawai, $1000 cash from +MORE Advisory and Accountancy for Heaviest Snapper and a $1000 voucher from Bunnings Trade for Heaviest Tuna. Thanks to the competition’s many generous sponsors including our other premier sponsors, Connie Stewart and Adrian Denniston of NZ Sothebys International Realty, First Honey, NZR Real Estate and The HITS, there are also generous cash prizes for

first, second and third place for the other fish species and a huge number of spot prizes and raffles to be won. Something for everyone! There is a special section for children, 12 and under, with a kids’ competition held at the lagoon from 10am until midday on Friday 8 and Saturday 9. There is also a special youth prize for children up to 16 years who are registered in the major competition. Last year, the competition celebrated its 25th anniversary representing a massive achievement for the many volunteers from organisations in the surrounding area who come together every year to make the competition happen. All funds raised are put back into the Castlepoint community with the following organisations benefiting: Castlepoint Golf Club, Castlepoint District Hall, Tinui Parish, Castlepoint Residents and

Ratepayers Association, Castlepoint Racing Club, Tinui Tennis Club and the Tinui School. Cost of entry for the main competition is $40. For the kids’ competition, the entry cost is $5 for children 12 years and under. Registration starts on Thursday 7 January from 4pm to 9pm at the Castlepoint Community Hall. On Friday 8 and Saturday 9 January, registration takes place on the beach. Locals, competitors, friends and families come together on Friday and Saturday night to share their stories and join in the prize giving. Drinks, snacks and a delicious array of food prepared by busy Committee members and volunteers is available for purchase. On Saturday night, a band will be providing free entertainment. More information can be found on the Castlepoint Fishing Club’s Facebook page @ castlepointfishingclub or by contacting Alan Schofield on 06 372 6899.

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THE COAST WITH THE MOST

CASTLEPOINT FISHING CLUB INC

Fishing Competition 8 & 9 January 2021 th

GREAT PRIZES UP FOR GRABS

Team Bevan Saywell at Tremains Real Estate Heaviest Kahawai $1000 cash +MORE Advisory and Accountancy Heaviest Snapper $1000 cash Bunnings Trade Heaviest Tuna $1000 voucher

Boat-based and land-based fishing options. Kid’s competition. Family-friendly. Something for everyone!

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Entry fees: Main competition: $40. Kid’s Competition: $5 for children 12 and under.

2021

Brent Liddington

Registration will be from 4pm to 9pm at the community hall on 7 January or at the beach throughout the event.

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Covid-19 and the lobster industry resurgence. Maybe the worst is over? The New Zealand lobster industry was the first primary producer to be shut down by the emergence of Covid-19 in January this year. Left stranded with hundreds of tonnes of unused catching rights across the nine rock lobster fishery management areas including CRA 4 (Wellington/Wairarapa/Hawke’s Bay) and an indifferent Government response to the social and economic impacts of the sudden shutdown, the industry is slowly digging itself out of the hole and trying to reconsolidate the export trade. But China has not yet resumed anywhere close to their full level of social engagements – the spectre of a reemergence Covid-19 has changed consumer behaviour and habits. So, while demand for premium seafood is strong, it is nowhere near as great as experienced in previous seasons. Fishing for live export resumed in some New Zealand lobster fisheries from early April and as airfreight space became more available, the quantities shipped to the Chinese market

A hot start to Wairarapa summer

increased. Prices paid for New Zealand live lobsters were surprisingly strong as the market reopened given the prolonged period of inactivity which commenced on January 25, and for a short time in April the port price paid to fishermen was approaching the peak of the previous season. Prices rapidly declined after the peak May demand and have settled at the lowest level seen for a decade. Government reluctance to allow unused catching rights to transition to the 2020/21 fishing year devalued the fisheries and fishermen sustained significant losses for a period when the beach price per kilogramme was lower than what they had paid for their annual catch entitlements (ACE). But cash flow was an issue for many – domestic expenses and debt servicing do not stop when a market closes. Those fishermen who were able to do so also managed to land reasonable quantities to the domestic market. Again, the price paid was well below the normal live export price – but it was income at the time

when the lobster industry was the only the primary producer forced to shut down because of Covid-19. It was interesting to observe that the domestic market demand for export grade lobsters selling well below export price was relatively modest. From time to time there are calls for industry to make catches available to New Zealanders at affordable prices – they did through February, March, and April but there was not as much action as many expected. We don’t have a crystal ball to determine

NIWA is predicting above average temperatures for Wairarapa until Christmas.

NIWA says rainfall is likely to be normal (45% chance) and river flows are likely to be near normal (40% chance).

It says there is a 60 per cent change that temperatures are very likely to be above average from now until December in its latest Seasonal Climate Outlook on its website niwa.co.nz

Air temperatures are very likely to be above average in all regions of New Zealand, it says.

CRAMAC 4 • Responsible management • Sustainable utilisation • Managing the CRA 4 rock lobster fishery

“High temperature extremes will have an elevated chance of occurring, particularly

how strong export demand and prices will be over the course of the fishing year – as noted, Covid-19 hovers over both China and New Zealand and further outbreaks will seriously curtail production and exports. But the Wairarapa rock lobster fishery remains productive – catches and catch rates have enabled local fishermen to respond to what has been erratic market demand and price. The industry is adapting well to the new normal of Covid-19 and is maintaining investment in stock monitoring work including vessel Logbooks and tag recapture reporting.

on days with a strong northwest wind. “Rainfall is likely to be near normal in the north and east of the North Island, about equally likely to be near normal or below normal in the west of the North Island and the north and east of the South Island, and below normal in the west of the South Island.”

CAPE PALLISER

Marine Radio Association

Supporting Marine Search and Rescue

Operating marine channels 3, 4, 7 & 61 from Castlepoint to Palliser Bay With regular maintenance costs we need your support

For membership contact secretary@cpmr.org.nz or ring Michael 027 445 3288 For additional information or material for school projects contact cramac 4 | lobster@nzrocklobster.co.nz

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2020

Discover Wairarapa’s wild coast by e-bike You can experience Castlepoint and Tinui Valley like never before with the Rahui Coastal Loop. Host Lucinda Maunsell is the sixth generation to be on the land at Rahui which was originally the back block of Tinui Station which was purchased by Archdeacon Robert Maunsell in 1859.

CELEBRATING OUR WATERBASED LIFESTYLE

Since returning home from overseas, Lucinda has created a loop circuit for e-bikes that travels along tar-sealed and gravel roads, taking in native bush, coastal vistas and stunning views. The full three-day loop includes one night at the Sows Ear, a renovated rustic farm

cottage set in the beautiful Rahui Gardens, and the second at one of Castlepoint’s premium baches with a hearty dinner at the Whakataki Hotel. Alternatively, the one-day trip is about three to four hours. It includes coastal cruising and 360 degree views of Wairarapa from the Tararuas to the Paciÿ c Ocean. Using your own e-bikes or Lucinda’s, the Rahui Coastal

Loop is perfect for friends and work mates, couples or overseas guests. Rahui Coastal Loop was a ÿ nalist in the Tourism and Hospitality section of the 2019 Wairarapa Business Awards. www.rahuicoastal.co.nz, Facebook and Instagram, or contact Lucinda directly 06 372 6663 , 021 507 282 or Email escape@rahuicoastal.co.nz

Call to end longÿ n eel commercial harvesting A Wairarapa community group is calling for a moratorium on the commercial harvesting of the longÿ n eel - tuna kuwharuwharu. Eel Activists Wairarapa was formed last year by a group of Wairarapa tuna enthusiasts who are concerned that the longÿ n eel is perilously close to functional extinction. This means that while individuals of the species may continue to be found in the region’s waterways for many years to come, the population has grown so small that its unique reproduction cycle is close to being permanently broken. The longÿ n eel is only found in New Zealand and lives for around 80 to 100 years before

UNCOVER A UNIQUE CYCLE ADVENTURE

it migrates down our waterways and out to Tonga where it needs to congregate in large enough numbers to spawn. The glass eel o° spring ˛ oat back on currents to New Zealand and then travel up New Zealand’s waterways as small eels called elvers where the cycle continues all over again. Longÿ n eel numbers have dramatically reduced over the past 150 in Wairarapa and elsewhere due to environmental destruction, the species being treated as a pest, and overÿ shing. In her 2013 report “On a pathway to extinction? An investigation into the status and management of the longÿ n

eel”, Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright recommended “that The Minister for Primary Industries suspends the commercial catch of longÿ n eels until longÿ n eel stocks are shown to have recovered.” Eel Activists Wairarapa wants all political parties, along with the Department of Conservation and Ministry of Primary Industries, to comply with the ÿ ndings of the report in order to give the longÿ n eel a break so it can recover. Anyone is welcome to join the Eel Activists Wairarapa Facebook group.

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P: 06 372 6663 | E: escape@rahuicoastal.co.nz | W: rahuicoastal.co.nz “I recommend that The Minister for Primary Industries suspends the commercial catch of longfin eels until longfin eel stocks are shown to have recovered.” - Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright, 2013 It’s time to save the longfin eel! Join eel activists wairarapa on facebook Phone/text david on 021 191 6330 or email mazzolajewellery@gmail.com

Marine radio coverage and safety of vessels at sea Cape Palliser Marine Radio Association (CPMRA) was formed to administer and maintain a VHF radio service for use by members on the Wairarapa coast, and any other areas within range of VHF radio transmissions from our repeater sites, and to promote and encourage in the interest of safety, the installation and use of VHF marine radio by owners of small vessels. We have 4 repeaters covering the coast from Cape Turnagain in the North, to Palliser Bay in the South. Channel 4 and 7 cover Palliser Bay and the South Eastern coast up to Honeycomb Rock. Channel 61 covers Riversdale to Castlepoint area, it overlaps channel 03 and 04.

Time to keep an eye on toxic algae

Channel 3 covers the Castlepoint area up to Cape Turnagain. There is no Coastguard in Wairarapa and the CPMRA and their members support the NZ Police in Marine Search and Rescue. In case of a genuine emergency, Channel 16 is the national emergency frequency, and for Mayday calls this should be used first by the vessel operator.

With temperatures rising as summer approaches, the risk of toxic algae in rivers and lakes in Wairarapa is again increasing. It’s important that people using the region’s recreational trails and waterways know how to spot toxic algal blooms, which are a common problem in rivers and lakes in New Zealand, especially during warmer weather when water is low.

Channel 16 calls link directly with Maritime Radio and the National Rescue Co-Ordination Centre, and will be the fastest way to get action through to the Police. Any vessel unable to get a call through to channel 16 should immediately

Last summer two dogs died after contact with toxic algae in the Waipoua River. In humans, contact with the algae can also cause rashes on skin, and more serious problems if swallowed by children or adults. Medical attention should be sought immediately for anyone swallowing algae. A small amount, the size of a 50-cent coin, can be enough to kill dogs, which are most susceptible when mats wash up at the river edges. When toxic algae is present, dogs should be kept on a lead and out of the water.

What to look out for In rivers, toxic algae grows on rocks in the riverbed and forms leathery dark green or black mats, which can wash up on river banks. Toxic algae mats often have air bubbles on their surface in the middle of the day. As they dry out they can become light brown in colour, and have a distinctive deep earthy or musty smell that appeals to dogs. In lakes and slow-flowing waters, another

species of toxic algae forms free-floating blooms that are usually green and look like ‘pea soup’. It can also form films or scum on the water’s surface, blown by the wind to the water’s edge. Henley Lake in Masterton often has high levels of ‘pea soup’ toxic algae, and the Waipoua, Waingawa and Ruamahanga rivers can all have high levels of black/green mat toxic algae mats. Greater Wellington works with Wairarapa’s three district councils in partnership with Regional Public Health to monitor waterways, and issue warnings when necessary, including signage on river and lake banks. Toxic algae alerts also appear on council websites and Land Air Water Aotearoa provides “Can I Swim Here?” on its website: www.lawa.org.nz/explore-data/swimming/

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go back to local channels which are routinely monitored by the Wairarapa commercial fishing fleet. For non-life threatening problems such as break downs and minor medical incidents local assistance can be sought through the local channels, however it is still recommended that vessel operators log a call on channel 16 in case the situation deteriorates quickly. Membership to the CPMRA consists of persons involved in maritime activites in the Association’s area whether those activities be amateur or commercial and pay a small annual fee. We are a non-profit organisation and rely on yearly subscriptions to help upgrade and maintain our repeater sites. Recently we relocated channel 03 and 07, and have upgraded our equipment to channels 03, 04 and 07. We are working towards a review of channel 61 in the current year. For further information regarding membership email secretary@cpmr.org.nz With the summer season and Christmas, New Year break soon upon us, make sure to have your boat serviced and include a radio check. CPMRA subscribers should see Teletronics for expert advice on any radio matters and ask for a CPMRA discount. Keep safe out on the water and always check the conditions. Safe Boating. CPMRA acknowledge CRAMAC 4 for their sponsorship of Water Scene 2020.

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SUMMER’S ON THE WAY!

… AND SO ARE WATER RESTRICTIONS Summer means sun, but as we all know, it also means watering restrictions are very likely to be a part of gardeners’ lives over the next few months. Masterton District Council’s water restrictions are tied to the flow in the Waingawa River, the source of Masterton’s drinking water. Maintaining the health of the Waingawa River is a priority for the council. Gardeners can prepare for dry spells by:

We know that restrictions can sometimes change quickly – because we want to give gardeners the benefit of higher river flows when we can – but the website and council social media will always be up-to-date. To make water restrictions as clear as possible, Masterton residents are likely to notice a few changes this summer.

y laying mulch, to reduce water loss through evaporation

y there’ll be additional roadside signage showing restriction levels

y keeping weeds to a minimum to reduce competition for water

y work is underway on a phone app to advise people of changes to restriction levels

y planning ways to collect rainwater for use in the garden.

y website and social media sites will be “one-stop shops” for the latest information on water

We’ll let you know when we have to introduce restrictions – keep an eye on our website (www.mstn.govt.nz) and our billboards around town and an ear on your radios.

We are Local Government WWW.MSTN.GOVT.NZ

If we all go with the flow, the river and gardens will both stay healthy.