In term 1 of 2023 Whitebait Connection Programme Coordinators Pat & Tracey worked with the students at Paparoa School and their teachers to deliver a Whitebait Connection programme. The programme included introductory class sessions, a field trip to a bush covered stream in Tinopai and a field trip to Paparoa Creek.  

The school is lucky to be located right by Paparoa Creek and it's īnanga spawning site at the Landing. For one of their field trips the students went to the Landing to search for īnanga eggs and to do a freshwater investigation involving water quality testing and seeing the fish and bugs that live in Paparoa Creek. We caught alot of īnanga at this site! 

Īnanga at Paparoa Creek

Following their Whitebait Connection programme the students of Paparoa School were empowered to take action for their local īnanga spawning site. We were impressed by all the mahi the students have done to protect this spawning habitat!

Actions they have undertaken to date have included writing letters to their local councillor, writing articles about the īnanga spawning site in the local paper and pest trapping by Paparoa Creek. The students hope to fence off the īnanga spawning site and put up signage informing the public about it in the near future. 

Paparoa Press article written by Paparoa School students

 Below is a letter by Aubree Healey (year 6) to Councillor Mark Vincent: 

Dear Mr Mark Vincent,

If you have been reading the Paparoa Press, you might have read that we have been trying to get a fence and sign around the long grass at the landing. That's why I'm writing to you.

We have been doing Whitebait Connection and we have learnt about white bait and the water they live in. Lots of people don't know that there is a whitebait spawning site at The Landing. In the long grass, 100s of little whitebait eggs are laid but the problem is people and animals trample the eggs without knowing.

If we have a fence and sign around the long grass, we can share our learning with others so they can learn about the spawning site. If we don't do something we could break the cycle and there won't be any whitebait left at the landing and that would be terrible! That is why we need to protect the white bait.

Can you help us by getting the fence and sign made or even getting the fence timber and we can build it. We would get our dads to help of course!

Thank you for helping.

Kind Regards

Aubree Healey

Year 6

Room 2

Paparoa School

In 2020 Pukenui School engaged in a Whitebait Connection programme with ex Programme Coordinator Nina. Their programme included a field trip to Korakanui Stream, Houhora for a stream investigation. 

Here are the results from their testing: 

• Habitat Assessment - The students noticed that the stream had some riparian planting and was well-shaded in most parts. They also noticed there were lots of native trees around
• Water Temperature - 19-22 degrees celsius 
• Water Clarity - 30-70cm
• pH - 6.5-7
• Macroinvertebrates - midges, mayflies, woody cased caddisflies, freshwater shrimp and snails 
• Fish - inanga and common bullies were caught 

In 2021 Kaikohe West School engaged in the Drains to Harbour programme in collaboration with our EMR Programme. This programme was funded by Far North District Council and led by Programme Coordinators Ray and Rosie.

The students that took part in the “Drains To Harbour” Programme were able to go on a field trip to their local stream for a freshwater investigation and were also able to experience marine life at Maitai Bay first hand. This reinforced their learning about the connection between streams and the marine life in the sea - although their local stream in Kaikohe is not directly connected to Maitai Bay. For some students, this was their first snorkel experience.

Students in a classroom session

 Their action involved stencilling their stormwater drains at school with quotes such as “He wai anake” or “Rainwater only” to spread the word about keeping stormwater drains clean.

Students with their stormwater drain stencilling

In 2020 Whitebait Connection Programme Coordinator Rosie, delivered a programme to Te Kura O Hato Hohepa a Kamura. The school had previously engaged in a programme in 2014. As part of their programme in 2020 the students went on trips to the kura wetland and the Pupuke River for freshwater investigations.

The Whangaroa catchment in which the kura wetland sits in is made up of 36 % regrowth native bush, 55 % shrubland that includes mixed farmland with some plantation forestry, 8% estuarine which is mainly covered in mangroves and only 1 % of freshwater wetlands.The planted cabbage trees and flax around the kura wetland has been a great step to restoring this precious wetland. There is potential for the tamariki and their whanau to be engaged in a long-term project to monitor their kura waterways regularly, reporting data back to NIWA. The wetland can be further restored through planting more native grasses on the waterway banks and trees further back as well as increasing water flow through unclogging the waterway.

The stream investigation started with testing the health of the small stream that flows through the kura wetland at the bottom of the Whangaroa catchment, and this stream flows out across the road, into the Whangaroa Harbour. 

Here are the students results from their testing at the wetland stream: 

• Habitat Assessment - The students noticed that there could be more trees planted on the stream bank to provide shade for the stream and stop any erosion of the bank
• Water Temperature - 23.5 degrees celsius 
• Electrical Conductivity - 220 µS/cm
• Water Clarity - 28-40cm 
• pH - 7-7.5
• Macroinvertebrates - beetles, dobsonfly larvae, woody cased caddisflies, back swimmers, freshwater shrimp and snails
• Fish - Common bullies and elvers (juvenile tuna) were caught. The pest fish gambusia was also caught

Macroinvertebrate sampling at the wetland

As a comparison site, the students also tested the Pupuke River health. This waterway flows down from the nearby mountains and out into the Whangaroa Catchment. 

Here are the results from the testing at the Pupuke River: 

• Habitat Assessment - It was noticed that there were many instream habitats, with riffles, runs and pools present, lots of trees provided shade over the river and there was no erosion present on the river banks
• Water clarity - 85cm
• pH - 7-7.5
• Electrical conductivity - 190 µS/cm
• Water Temperature - 19.6 degrees celsius 
• Macroinvertebrates - freshwater shrimp, damselfly larvae, dragonfly larvae, woody cased caddisflies, stony cased caddisflies and snails
• Fish - inanga and common bullies were caught 

Measuring water clarity at the Pupuke River

In 2020 Whitebait Connection Programme Coordinator Rosie delivered a school programme to Kaeo School. This programme included field trips to the upstream and downstream areas of the Kaeo River for freshwater investigations. The Kaeo River is in the Whangaroa catchment area. It starts in the Puketi Forest, at the top of the catchment and the river opens out into Whangaroa Harbour, at the bottom of the catchment. The catchment is mainly farmland, pine forest and native bush. 

Here are the students results and findings from their testing at the downstream site: 

• Habitat Assessment - The students noticed that there was not much shade over the river, and there was a lot of erosion as there were no trees to hold the bank in place and stop soil and sediment from washing into the river.
• Electrical Conductivity - 150 µS/cm
• Water Temperature - 16 degrees celsius 
• Clarity - 75cm
• pH - 7 
• Macroinvertebrates - flat mayfly nymphs, woody cased caddisfly larvae, pond skaters, freshwater shrimp, mites, midge larvae, worms and snails 
• Fish - Common bullies and elver (juvenile tuna/eels) were caught

In May 2019, Whangaroa College students sampled the same area of Kaeo River. They found 4 adult Inanga, 120 Gambusia, (a pest fish), 48 Freshwater Shrimp and 2 Common Bully fish. The electrical conductivity was 340 µS/cm, the temperature was 14.3°C, the water clarity was 83 cm and the pH was 7.

Testing temperature and electrical conductivity at the downstream site

The second water testing site was much further upstream, located in the middle of the Whangaroa catchment. Waiare Stream flows into the Kaeo River close to where we were testing.

Here are the students results and findings from their testing at the upstream site: 

• Clarity - 81cm 
• pH - 7 
• Water Temperature - 16 degrees celsius 
• Electrical Conductivity - 140 µS/cm
• Macroinvertebrates - dobsonfly larvae, flat mayfly nymphs, woody-cased caddisfly larvae, stony-cased caddisfly larvae, dragonfly nymoh, damselfly nymph, adult diving beetles, freshwater shrimp, water spider, cranefly larvae, mosquito larvae, pond skater, midge larvae, snails and worms
• Fish - adult inanga, juvenile inanga, common bullies and redfin bullies

Macroinvertebrate sampling at the upstream site

Overall, the upper Kaeo River appeared in better condition than the lower Kaeo River. The electrical conductivity, temperature and pH of both waterways were similar, however the upper Kaeo River had a much better habitat assessment, with more instream water features as well as more trees growing along the river bank. This will prevent erosion and provide cooler areas of the water for freshwater creatures during summer. Erosion of sediment into a waterway will increase water temperatures and decrease the water clarity.

In 2020 Whitebait Connection Programme Coordinator Rosie worked with Kaitaia Intermediate for programme delivery. Their programme include field trips to the Awanui River and Lake Ngatu for freshwater investigations. 

The students freshwater investigation started with testing the health of the Awanui River. At the top of the Awanui catchment, the Victoria and Takahue rivers form the headwaters of the Awanui River in the Mangamuka Ranges. The upper reaches of these rivers are surrounded by native forest while the lower reaches of Awanui River flow through farmland and urban areas before flowing out into Rangaunu Harbour.

Students macroinvertebrate sampling at the Awanui River

As a comparison site, the students tested the health of Lake Ngatu. This dune lake is also in the Awanui Catchment and has started to be restored through native tree plantings around the lake as well as limiting human activity in the lake. (No washing cars or using motorised boats in the lake).

Measuring electrical conductivity and water temperature at Lake Ngatu

In 2020 Whitebait Connection Programme Coordinator Rosie worked with Oruaiti School for programme delivery. Their programme included field trips to the Oruaiti wetland and Lake Waiporohita for freshwater investigations. 

The Oruaiti River which connects to the Oruaiti wetland is in the Doubtless Bay catchment area. It starts in the northern Omahutu Forest, at the top of the catchment and the river opens out into Mangonui Harbour, at the bottom of the catchment. The catchment is mainly farmland, pine forest and native bush.

Here are the students results from their testing at the Oruaiti wetland: 

•  Habitat Assessment - The students noticed that there was not much shade in areas of the wetland, that there were lots of aquatic plants and weeds that were blocking the sunlight from entering the water, and that there was no water flow
• Water Temperature - 14 degrees celsius 
• Electrical conductivity - 20 µS/cm
• Clarity - 58cm 
• pH - 6.5
• Macroinvertebrates - flat mayfly nymphs, damselfly nymphs, dragonfly nymphs, woody cased caddisfly nymphs, mites, diving beetle larvae, diving beetles and mosquito larvae
• Fish - common bullies and shortfin tuna 

Searching for macroinvertebrates at the Oruaiti wetland

As a comparison site, we tested the health of Lake Waiporohita. This dune lake is also in the Doubtless Bay catchment and has started to be restored through native tree plantings around the lake as well as limiting human activity in the lake. (No washing cars or using motorised boats in the lake)

Here are the students results from their testing at Lake Waiporohita: 

• Clarity - 78cm 
• pH - 6.5-7
• Water temperature - 18 degrees celsius 
• Electrical conductivity - 190 µS/cm
• Macroinvertebrates - water strider, mosquito larvae exoskeletons, back swimmers and water boatmen
• Gambusia (pest fish) were the only fish caught 
• After much careful searching amongst the reeds, the students found a Southern Bell frog floating on the water surface. It appeared to be sick so hopefully it had lived to a ripe old age in the lake. These frogs are introduced from Australia and are the largest frogs in N.Z. Frogs are another indicator species we can use to determine the health of waterways

Macroinvertebrate sampling at Lake Waiporohita

In 2020 Oturu School school engaged in a Whitebait Connection Programme with Programme Coordinator Rosie. Their programme included a field trip to the Waipokapoka Stream. Waipokapoka Stream is in the Awanui catchment area. At the top of the Awanui catchment, the Victoria and Takahue rivers form the headwaters of the Awanui River in the Mangamuka Ranges. The upper reaches of these rivers are surrounded by native forest while the lower reaches of Awanui River flow through farmland and urban areas before flowing out into Rangaunu Harbour.

Here are the results from the student's testing at the Waipokapoka Stream on their fieldtrip: 

• Habitat Assessment - The students noticed that there was no shade over the waterway, that there were lots of aquatic weeds growing in the water, and that there was no water flow
• Electrical Conductivity - 120 µS/cm
• Temperature - The temperature ranged from 16 degrees at the start of the day to 23 degrees as the day got hotter
• Clarity - 54cm 
• pH - 6.5
• Macroinvertebrates -  adult diving beetles, diving beetle larvae, woody cased caddiflies larvae, back swimmers, water boatmen, mosquito larvae, mites, snails, worms and leeches 
• Fish - inanga & gambusia (pest fish) were caught

Testing the water temperature

In 2021 Whitebait Connection Programme Coordinators Ray & Rosie delivered a programme to Pāmapūria School. Their programme included field trips to the Takahue River and Victoria River for freshwater investigations. Takahue River and Victoria River are both in the Awanui River catchment area. Both of these rivers start in Raetea Forest, at the top of the catchment. The Takahue River meets the Victoria River which then flows into the Awanui River in the middle of the catchment. The Takahue and Victoria Rivers flow through farmland and native bush.

Here are the results from the students testing at the Takahue River: 

• Habitat Assessment - The students noticed that there was not much shade over the river, and there was some erosion as there were not many trees to hold the bank in place and stop soil and sediment from washing into the river
• Electrical Conductivity - 180-200 µS/cm
• Water Temperature - the temperature ranged between 12.8 and 17.5 degrees celisus throughout the day 
• Clarity - 85cm
• pH - 7 
• Macroinvertebrates - snails, freshwater shrimp, damselfly nymph, flat mayfly nymph and water boatmen
• Fish - gambusia (pest fish) 

Macroinvertebrate sampling at the Takahue River

Here are the results from the students testing at the Victoria River: 

• Clarity - 81cm
• pH - 7 
• Temperature - the temperature ranged between 9.9 and 12.1 degrees celsius throughout the day 
• Electrical conductivity - 150 µS/cm
• Macroinvertebrates - swimming mayfly nymph, spiny gill mayfly nymph, flat mayfly nymph, woody cased caddisfly, smooth cased caddisfly, stony cased caddisfly, dobsonfly larvae, koura, tail gill stonefly larvae, damselfly nymphpond skaters, snails, and worms
• Fish - Common bullies

Testing clarity at the Victoria River