Zeke Voschezang with his parents Joanna and Roley Voschezang during their Kai Iwi Lakes holiday.
Photo / Supplied
Zeke Voschezang with his parents Joanna and Roley Voschezang during their Kai Iwi Lakes holiday.
Photo / Supplied
Photo / Supplied
Alarmed Northland authorities are now searching for the unwanted freshwater pest fish after Zeke Voschezang, 10, reported seeing it in Kaipara's Lake Taharoa.
The koi carp is the first seen in the 50,000-year-old lake – New Zealand's biggest dune lake and among the best examples of its type in the world.
"At first I thought it was a ginormous goldfish," Voschezang from Hamilton, said of the 40cm long bright orange fish he spotted in the lake north of Dargaville.
Dune lakes are among the rarest and most threatened aquatic habitats in the world.
Kai Iwi Lakes is New Zealand's busiest dune lake camping spot and a major Northland tourist attraction. About 17,500 people camp at its 197ha Lake Taharoa annually, with thousands more day visitors on top of that.
"Koi can cause devastating environmental damage and are very difficult to get rid of once they are established," Penny Smart, Northland Regional Council (NRC) chairwoman said.
Koi carp - a major risk for Northland's Kai Iwi Lakes.
Koi carp – often called possums of the water - are one of New Zealand's worst freshwater pest fish, breeding rapidly and destroying habitats as they vacuum up plants, fish eggs and small fish from the lake floor. They constantly stir up the bottom of lakes or rivers they live in, muddying the water and destroying water clarity and light levels.
Curtis Harris, NRC biosecurity incursion management officer said koi carp negatively affected plant life, native fish and invertebrates. This affected lake health.
"(This) creates unpleasant swimming conditions and bluntly, would be an absolute disaster in Taharoa ...," Harris said.
"Koi carp would be potentially devastating for the lake itself and the thousands of people who go there every year," Lisa Forester NRC biodiversity manager and national dune lakes specialist said.
Illegal deliberate introduction is being looked at as one option for how the fish got into the lake – along with accidental transfer of pest fish eggs or fry via a boat trailer or equipment. It is illegal under the Biosecurity Act 1993 to breed, transport or spread koi carp anywhere in New Zealand. Five years' jail and/or fines of up to $100,000 face anybody found to have spread the fish to the lake.
A multi-agency response is now under way to find the fish, lakeside work starting on Wednesday. The response team includes local iwi Te Roroa, Department of Conservation (DoC), Northland Fish and Game, NRC, Kaipara District Council (KDC) and the Taharoa Domain Governance Committee.
Drones, environmental DNA detection and purpose-designed set nets are among tools to be used to find the koi carp. "I'm pleased they are going to try and find the fish. I want to be able to enjoy the lake because it's a really lovely lake," Zeke, a Hamilton Christian School student said.
Kai Iwi Lakes has 17,500 campers a year. Photo / File
Koi carp have become a pest fish on every continent around the world - except Antarctica - and are legally classed as an unwanted organism and noxious species in New Zealand. Lake Taharoa is significant to local iwi and hapū for its historical values and as a mahinga kai (food-gathering place).
Zeke, a budding marine scientist, was kayaking on Lake Taharoa while holidaying with his family at Kai Iwi Lakes over Christmas.
He tied up to a buoy, wanting to see what was happening in the water around its chain. "I just kept looking because I am interested in fish and birds and most creatures."
"There was lots of algae on the chain. I looked down and saw the koi carp floating and nibbling at the algae. It was opening its mouth, sucking in some water. It rotated its eyes up to have a look at me and then swam away.
"It was orange with three black lines on the top of its back.
His mystery fish discovery came to light as Zeke and his family drove home to Hamilton from their holiday. The family passed a large roadside DoC sign soon after leaving the lakes. This urged people to report koi carp sightings. The family did just that.
Harris said it was great to get Zeke's observations.
Northland authorities are now appealing for koi carp sightings to NRC's biosecurity team on 0800 002 004.
