The name Waihao refers to an important food resource obtained from the river that has its beginnings in the upland country behind the hills, Te Tari Te Kaumira. The hao eel, the lifestage of the short-fin eel was, and still is, a delicacy to families who gather mahinga kai from the Wainono Lagoon and the Waihao River (the kete of local maori).
The mystical film Longfin spotlights the little-known life of an endemic New Zealand freshwater eel and takes you on an epic journey through the life of this intriguing creature. From its beginnings in the dark corners of the ocean to its transition into the river, Longfin follows the eel’s journey through a changing land as it encounters dangers its ancestors never faced.
Emerging filmmakers Lindsey Davidson and Melissa Salpietra, weave a modern day allegory of man’s relationship with his environment in the context of one eel’s 84-year life cycle. Combining DV photography, dramatic narration and detailed underwater filming,Longfin is an evocative piece that conveys the power and the spirit of this mythical creature.
Watch it here http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentary/watch-online/play/6235
The first Polynesians to arrive in New Zealand must have been astounded to find themselves dwarfed by moa. But lurking in the depths were more giants – snakelike fish they called tuna that would grow to the width of a man’s thigh, up to two meters long, and can live for more than a hundred years, possible even a hundred and fifty years in some cases. Eels became an important food source for Māori, but it was a relationship that extended beyond nourishment to respect, and even reverence. Over time they were even thought of as protectors or guardians.
As you will see in our home page, our Tuna are inextricably interwoven into the early history of Waihao.
For Maori, they are a significant cultural resource – and the myriad of ways early Maori caught eels in New Zealand are fascinating.
Longfin eels (which have been populating New Zealand’s rivers, streams and lakes for 23 million years and are endemic to New Zealand) breed only ONCE in their lives. This breeding event is in itself pretty spectacular, since they swim to a mysterious place – thought to be off the coast of Tonga somewhere – breed and then die. That’s one helluva holiday romance! If that in itself doesn’t impress you, then think of what happens next. The tiny leaf-shaped, see-through eel larvae drift all the way back to New Zealand making their way into our rivers and sometimes swimming hundreds of kilometres upstream. The little eels are fantastic rock climbers, and vertical waterfalls are conquered with ease by these extreme freshwater fish.
But despite all their tenacity, the longfin eels are a threatened species. First, many of their habitats have been modified or destroyed. Large dams are a problem, either trapping the mature eels at the top or being too vast for the elvers (young eels) to climb up. Many freshwater streams, lakes and rivers have become severely polluted, making the water quality too poor for eels to thrive in. Eels have always been an important source of protein in New Zealand, but a commercial fishery has added to their problems. Now longfin eels are listed in the same threatened species category as blue penguins.
“Stop commercial fishing or longfin eels will perish” – Environment Commissioner
The Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Dr Jan Wright has called for a moratorium on the commercial harvesting of New Zealand’s longfin eel and for DOC to step up its protection of this iconic native species.
The call comes in Dr Wright’s report on the status of the species which was released today and shows the longfin eel is on a slow path to extinction.
Dr Wright says the need for action is urgent. “I am confident that the weight of evidence shows we need to act urgently to save this species. The longfin eel can live to more than a hundred years old and breeds once at the very end of its life, travelling thousands of kilometres into the Pacific to do so. This long slow lifecycle makes it very vulnerable”.
“It is critical that we stop fishing longfin eels. It is not just fishing that is a problem, but stopping it is the only action that has immediate potential to reverse the decline of this extraordinary creature”.
“I also have concerns about the management of the longfin, in particular the way the science is used, and have also recommended that this is changed”.
“DOC also needs to play a more active role in protecting this iconic species and work with councils to ensure habitat and fish passage pressures are reduced”.
Some useful links;
http://www.longfineel.co.nz/longfin-tuna/
PCE echoes calls for a moratorium on commercial long-fin eel harvesting
PCE report calls for moratorium on longfin eel fishing – experts respond
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Zealand_longfin_eel/
http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/native-animals/fish/eels/freshwater-eels-in-new-zealand/
http://www.nhc.net.nz/index/fresh-water-fish-new-zealand/longfin-eel/longfin-eel.htm
http://www.nhc.net.nz/index/fresh-water-fish-new-zealand/longfin-eel/longfin-eel.htm
http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/player/2552340/ (Audio)