The Oreti River in New Zealand is under threat, see News article HELP New Zealand's Southland Seek Protection Order.

We urge you to respond both here and to

Minister for the Environment
Hon. David Benson-Pope

Howdy, all:

I'd like to introduce myself to the forum and thank rick for his help getting me started here.

My name is Casey Cravens, and I operate a guiding business on New Zealand's South Island. I'm trying to help Southland Fish and Game manager Maurice Rodway get the word out about the Oreti. It's such a good fishery that you hate to call attention to it. But now is one of those times when the river needs as many friends as it can get.

The New Zealand government is about to decide whether to award the river with a Water Conservation Order, the highest level of government protection here, a distinction only 12 other New Zealand rivers have. If there is anyone out there reading this forum who has fished the river and had a good time on it, if you could make a submission to the Parliamentary committee saying what a special river it is, your view as a visiting angler would have an enormous impact. Creel surveys indicate that most of the trophy section's users are from Australia or the US. These folks are special "stakeholders" according to New Zealand law, who deserve to be consulted when major issues on the river are considered.

The New Zealand government's tourism infrastructure likes to boast about our country being a "clean and green" destination, but every now and then they actually need to do something to protect the wild rivers like the Oreti.

If the Water Conservation Order is approved, it will protect 95 percent of the river's natural flows, establish water quality standards, and make it very difficult to build a dam on the river or its tributaries. Three things make the river unique: big fish, clear water, and a relatively natural setting, with many spring inflows and no dams. Tap the spring inflows, or pollute the river, or limit the big browns' ability to go to sea for food and return, and you've lost a unique fishery.

If you click on the first link in the news section you'll find the link of where to make a submission. The deadline is 5 pm, 15 Nov. 2006. If I can answer any questions, please ask.

I'll try to upload some photos of the river and its fish.

All the best,

Casey
Email:

(Edited By spooled at 10:06:21 28/10/06)