Thread: 1080 KILLING FISH

TONGARIRO....THE FOREST OF THE FUTURE.

Testing ground for large scale 1080 treatments, especially for the effects on the local kiwi population

Intensive monitoring since 2001.

Its hard to argue that the Battle For The Birds is a success.

In 2008 trappers were brought into this Forest to reverse the decline in Whio (blue duck) and Kiwi Populations.

Here is a link to the latest propaganda . This link will get you to the pre recorded program to be broadcast on RNZ Thursday at 9pm.

Radio New Zealand Audio Player



There is at least one blatant misleading statement made in the little I have heard thus far, and that is the claim that poison operators take great care to avoid dropping 1080 poison into waterways. This is utterly untrue and in fact the AHB , in conjunction with DoC has made efforts to make certain they ARE given resource consents allowing them to drop into waterways and lakes.



There is also a statement made that areas as large (which is very small really) as 10,000 ha are too large to be trapped by ground control. This is also completely untrue. And in fact, trapping can be cheaper and more effective than 1080.



The if's buts and maybe's emanating from Elliot near the end of this program prove the continuing lack of proof DoC has that 1080 is beneficial although he is attempting to cover thge lack of proof by talking about "indications".



There is also discussion about targeting stoats and rats. Stoats are carnivores and not nearly enough can be killed by depending on them dying through eating carcasses killed by 1080. The stoats do not eat 1080 cereal baits directly.



There is an important admission within the documentary, and it is made clear that" areas are unsafe for hunting due to rotting carcasses , for 4 to 6 months", which is virtually a mandatory period where rotting carcasses may continue to pollute waterways; AND YET, persons are and have been, expected to drink water from these affected catchments from within 4 days of a 1080 drop!.



I am sure others listening in will make further comments.


By the way, there will be a public protest outside West Coast regional Council offices midday tomorrow. They have some very searching OIA questions to answer about their resource consent protocols and conflicts of interests, pollution of water supplies etc, now several days overdue, and have been having panic meetings behind closed doors all week.