NIWA has updated its guide to freshwater pests for the first time since 2013.
Freshwater Invasive Species of New Zealand 2020 addresses New Zealand’s most invasive freshwater animals and plants. The update includes nine fish species, a reptile, eleven invertebrate species, three algal species and thirty-two plant species.
Principal Scientist and Freshwater Aquatic Plant specialist Paul Champion says that pest animals and plants are a major issue in our freshwater bodies.
“Introduced animals and plants, mostly brought here deliberately, can escape and become major invasive pests, changing the natural ecosystem and impacting our native species."
“There is a good level of public awareness of campaigns like Predator Free NZ and terrestrial weed responses like the wilding pine control programme, but our aquatic pests are relatively unknown and unseen. These silent invaders are usually not detected until they become a problem, by which time management options are limited.”
The updated guide is aimed at agencies who manage aquatic invaders, as well as anyone who uses our freshwater bodies. It provides links to agencies that manage aquatic invaders and what to do if you find a new pest.
Read the updated Freshwater Pests guide here.
Back to Freshwater Update 84: August 2020
