Baldock Larry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Baldock Larry: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:622;Page:17634] 
11.  
LARRY BALDOCK (United Future) 
 to the  
Minister of Conservation 
: Why is the Department of Conservation planning to run trials involving the release of poison into flowing public waterways for the purpose of wiping out introduced fish species such as trout? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER (Minister of Conservation) 
: 
 I think the member is referring to a small-scale trial that my department proposes to conduct in partnership with the Fish and Game Council. A poison containing a relatively benign natural toxin will be used in a small stream in the Karori Wildlife Sanctuary to test its effectiveness in eradicating unwanted fish from flowing water. A resource consent process will ensure all environmental impacts are fully considered. 
Larry Baldock 
: Does the Minister stand by the Department of Conservation claims as quoted in the  
Sunday Star-Times 
 that it can remove desirable fish from streams before they are poisoned and put them back a few days later or in the case of desirable fish that do end up being poisoned that it can rescue and resuscitate them afterwards; if so how much training will the Department of Conservation need to give the fish rescue crews in the event that it does decide to poison our rivers and when resuscitating fish will Department of Conservation personnel simply give them mouth-to-mouth resuscitation or is expensive medical equipment such as defibrillators already required? 
Mr SPEAKER 
: There were about four questions there. The Minister can answer two. 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The questioner seeks to trivialise a very important issue: the healthy maintenance of biodiversity in our freshwater systems which particularly in the waters of the upper North Island are grossly infested with pest species such as koi carp  
Gambusia 
 rudd perch and other species. That is damaging to native fish life and plant life and contributes to the degradation of fresh waters. It is a serious issue and the department is working closely on it. 
Dave Hereora 
: What precautions are being taken in the trial to minimise any adverse environmental impacts? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The site is contained within the fenced Karori Wildlife Sanctuary. No one fishes there. The chemical will be diluted to insignificant levels by the time it reaches the first of the two dams in the sanctuary. Staff handling the chemical will wear protective clothing. I note that the particular poison is widely used in the United States and elsewhere for the eradication of unwanted fish species. 
Simon Power 
: Why does the Minister not stop the Department of Conservation from locking up tracts of South Island high country and poisoning fish in Karori and just tell it to get on with the business of preserving New Zealand’s iconic species like the kiwi? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The Department of Conservation is a world leader in the preservation of endangered species. In addition the mission that we have to protect public lands so that all New Zealanders—even Mr Power—can use them is one that I am very proud of. 
Larry Baldock 
: Does the department consider that the battle against stoats rats feral cats wild dogs possums weasels ferrets and wasps has now been won; if not how can he reconcile allocating resources to poison trout with his statement in the House on 12 October 2004 that “Those exotic species”—salmon and trout—“do not have quite the impact that say possums have. In allocating resources to deal with pests I would certainly concentrate on those that are doing the most damage—that is possums and stoats.”? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The Department of Conservation has no plans to eradicate trout in New Zealand. It is doing a very small experiment with the active cooperation of Fish and Game New Zealand on a waterway within an enclosed sanctuary to see whether we can bring back native species. 
Larry Baldock 
: If the Department of Conservation does go ahead with the ridiculous idea of poisoning the trout in our rivers how will he reassure anglers that the fish they bring home for their family’s dinner have not been stuffed full of poison? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: The member seems unable to grasp the fact that this is a one-off experiment in an enclosed sanctuary where no one fishes. 
Larry Baldock 
: Is the Minister concerned that by adding trout poison to our rivers the department will simply add to the already existing waterway pollution problems with regard to 1080 poison and agricultural runoff; and does that not beg the question that with environmental guardians like the Department of Conservation who needs exotic pests? 
Hon CHRIS CARTER 
: No and the Department of Conservation does an excellent job.