An innovative floating fish ramp is proving an inexpensive and robust solution to overcoming barriers preventing fish from migrating upstream around the country.
More than half of New Zealand's native freshwater species migrate between the sea and freshwater, but human-made barriers, such as perched culverts can disrupt these migrations, preventing fish accessing upstream habitat.
As part of his Masters thesis, Dan Fake from the Hawke's Bay Regional Council has been undertaking a series of lab trials with an array of freshwater species to come up with a design that best helps the fish climb the ramps.
Daniel says the fish ramps help inanga, eels, bullies and other native species to swim past structures that collectively deny fish access to kilometres of freshwater habitat.
The project is being supported by the New Zealand Fish Passage Advisory Panel, which aims to improve fish passage in waterways around the country.