I a tātou e pōwhiri nei i ngā iwi ki ngā moana maha o Rotorua mō te raumati, e tuia tonutia ana e Te Arawa te kōrero, kia kaha tonu mai te hapori me ngā manuhiri ki te horoi i ōna waka hei ārai i te horonga o ngā riha kikino.
O roto i ngā tau e rima nei, ko tā Te Tira Tiaki Moana o Te Arawa mahi he tirotiro waka me te whakaako i ngā iwi he pēhea hoki te ārai i te horonga o ngā riha ki ngā moana o Te Arawa nei.
Nō tēnei wā anō, kua kitea te nukuhanga o ngā waiaro a ngā hungapoti me tō rātou hīkaka ki te whakarauora i ngā roto me ngā awa, ka mutu, kua 99 ōrau te ekenga o ngā tirohanga ki tēnei raumati 2022/23.
He 10 ngā roto e taea ai te kuhu, ā, he hungatiaki a Ngā Rotomoana o Te Arawa ki ēnā roto mō te tau katoa.
Ko tēnei tonu te tau tuatahi kua mahia e Ngā Rotomoana o Te Arawa tōna waihoroi-kaha hei ākina anō te āta horohoroinga i ngā poti.
Hei tā William Anaru, te pouwhakahaere mō Te Tira Tiaki Moana o Te Arawa, kua wawe te pikinga o te māramatanga a ngā hunga-poti ki te horoi waka mō mua i tōna kuhu ki roto kē.
“Kua tino rarata mai te tangata i tēnei raumati, kei te rongo hoki kua wāia rātou ki tēnei take, ā, he aha te take me pēnei rawa a rātou waka, kia kaua hoki e mau riha me te kawe ki roto anō.
“Kei te kite atu i te whakahipahipa o ngā nama ki ngā poti kei o tātou roto i tēnei raumata, engari he rite tonu te haere ia rā, ia rā – ahakoa te huarere – he pūmau te mahi aromatawai i ngā waka me ēnā kua mātai motuhake nei ōna poti.”
Tā Wiremu anō, kei te mārama te nuinga o ngā hungapoti, ā, kei te rata hoki ki ngā mahi e kawe nei e Ngā Rotomoana o Te Arawa.
“Kua kitea ētahi e hōhā ana i ngā wā kua pokea e te mahi aromatawai, nā whai anō te whakaroaroa o te kuhu ki te wai, engari he aha kē te mate o te tatari rima mīniti nei te roa mō te oranga whānui tonu te take?
“He whakaute te nuinga o ngā hungapoti, ā, he mārire te noho – nā runga anō i te mōhio ki te tika ngā mahi o nāianei ka tika hoki te whakarauoratanga o ngā roto mō ngā uri whakaheke.”
Mēnā rā e whakawhiti ana i ngā wai, mā tō āwhina anō ka heke te horonga o ngā riha – i konei ki ngā tohu ārahi o ‘Check, Clean, Dry’ (CCD):
- Tirohia ngā taputapu kei tō waka me tōna kāta, ā, tangohia ngā otaota mō mua tonu i tō wehenga i te wāpu.
- Horoia ngā taputapu katoa kua kuhuna ngā roto ki te waikai otaota, ā, kia wawe tēnei mahi.
- Keria ngā wai katoa mā te tango i te puru me te whakamaroke hoki i ngā wai e tau tonu ana ki tō waka i a koe e wehe atu ana i ngā roto.
- Whakamaroketia rawatia ngā taputapu i mua i tō kuhunga ki roto kē i ngā wā katoa, i ngā whakawhitinga hoki ki roto anō.
Boaties encouraged to do their bit to keep Te Arawa Lakes clean this summer
With Rotorua’s refreshing lakes beckoning boaties from across the country this summer, Te Arawa Lakes Trust is reminding locals and manuhiri (visitors) alike to thoroughly clean their vessels to stop the spread of invasive pests.
Te Arawa Lakes Trust’s biosecurity team has been out in force for the past five summers, performing boat inspections and educating people on stopping pest species spread across Te Arawa lakes.
In that time, the team has seen a positive shift in the behaviour of boaties and their awareness of protecting lakes and waterways, with a self-certification pass rate of 99 per cent so far in the 2022/23 summer period.
There are 10 publicly accessible lakes across the rohe, and Te Arawa Lakes Trust monitors all of them year-round. The biosecurity team conducts boat inspections every summer until the end of March.
This summer period is also the first that Te Arawa Lakes Trust has operated a high-pressure washer to help efficiently and effectively rinse off vessels.
Te Arawa Lakes Trust Biosecurity Manager, William Anaru, says boaties have become increasingly more aware of the importance of cleaning their vessels between lake visits.
“People have been really positive this summer and are more conscious of why they need to ensure their boats aren’t carrying pest weeds and species between our lakes.
“There has been a bit of a fluctuation in the number of boaties on our lakes so far this summer, but our team have been out there every day – regardless of the weather – carrying out boat inspections and checking self-certifications.”
William says most boaties understand and appreciate the work Te Arawa Lakes Trust is doing.
“We’ve had a few people get a bit annoyed when it’s busy and it’s taking longer to get their boat into the water, but what’s an extra five-minute wait when you consider the bigger picture?
“Most boaties are respectful and happy to comply – after all, if we put in the effort now, we will ensure our lakes can be enjoyed for generations to come.”
If you’re moving between waterways, you can help to reduce the spread of freshwater pests by using the ‘Check, Clean, Dry’ (CCD) method:
- Check all equipment and your vessel and trailer and remove any weed fragments before leaving the boat ramp.
- Clean all equipment that has come in contact with the water using a decontamination solution* as soon as practical.
- Drain all water by removing bungs or sponging out any water lying in your vessel when you exit the waterway.
- Dry equipment thoroughly before using it another waterway.
Do it between every waterway, every time.