Trout Spawning Creek Trashed by Dairy Cows

School Creek is a small stream that runs through land that is now a dairy farm. Once though it was pristine forest. These days it is was a very important trout spawning creek in the special Lake Brunner water quality control area of the West Coast.

In July 2007 according to the staff report cows were intensively stood off along the creek. "There was run off containing sediment flowing into the creek. The banks of School Creek showed clear signs of significant pugging and conspicuous slumping. There was unrestricted access to the creek."

The compliance staff at the West Coast Regional Council requested a prosecution of the offender in the case of School Creek. This was overridden by the politicians at WCRC and the offender was given instead a $750 infringement. We think it is akin to a slap in the face with a wet bus ticket. That small fine places a value on polluting a beautiful spawning creek and that certainly will not deter other offenders!

Fish and Game West Coast lodged complaints with the PCE as has Unpure New Zealand. We also filed a complaint with the Minister for the Environment.

 

 

 

"The 100% Pure New Zealand brand does establish a level of expectation among potential visitors that New Zealand's natural environment will be clean and well cared for. Government, and our tourism agencies, recognize the importance of the natural environment in fulfilling New Zealand's marketing promise. This creates an incentive for all of New Zealand to take action to ensure we live up to the 100% Pure New Zealand promise."

Damien O'Connor, New Zealands Minister of Tourism
In reply to us 4 Dec 2007

Dirty Dairying - Westland, New Zealand

School Creek Pollution

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