West Coast Fish and Game come to aid of salmon farm owners after 13,000 fish killed by intruders

West Coast Fish and Game have come to the aid of the Paringa Salmon Farm and cafe after "lowlifes" destroyed their entire year's stock of fish. Photo / 123RF

West Coast Fish and Game have come to the aid of the Paringa Salmon Farm and cafe, which lost as many as 13,000 salmon after intruders tampered with the water supply.

Fish and Game ranger Dean Kelly said today the group had made available its fish transporter and they had also managed to source some replacement stock.

Mr Kelly was at a loss to understand why someone would do such a thing.
"I question the mentality of people who would do something like this."

The "lowlifes" had destroyed the Paringa Salmon Farm and Cafe's entire year's stock of fish.

Mr Kelly said the cafe had been extremely generous over the past few years in "rearing-on" excess stock for release into the wild to enhance the West Coast's salmon fisheries.

"We wanted to give something back to help them after all of the help they have given anglers around the West Coast.

"We have managed to source live fish for them and will be able to transport them in our North Canterbury fish transporter free of charge."

Mr Kelly said Fish and Game had hoped to be able to give the Paringa farm replacement stock as well, but that was not possible.

"Because the farm grows female only fish and we only have stock of mixed sex, we have had to source the stock from elsewhere and between the farm and ourselves we will work out a deal - but we will definitely be contributing to the replacement stock," he said.

The farm would be restocked with about 8000 20-40g fish and should be back on track by Christmas.

"Had this have happened a month later we would not have been able to help out as all the fish stocks would have been sold.

"I spoke with the owner (Alice Bellio) yesterday and she was overwhelmed with out offer - in fact she was absolutely stoked," he said.

- Greymouth Star