An estimated 600 to 1000 fish died as a result of a lethal spray being tipped into a Canterbury waterway, including common bullies, native kōkopu, brown trout, and koura or freshwater crayfish says an article in “The Press”.
A year ago a truck driver from the company overfilled a truck with water from a water race for stock, causing agrichemical-contaminated water laced with Pyrinex – a toxic insecticide – to flow back into the race. The Ashburton contractor was fined $120,000 for the contamination.
Pyrinex is used by farmers to control insect pests on pastures and crops and acts on the nervous system, killing insects by contact and vapour action and as a stomach poison following ingestion. Toxic to bees, the chemical is also used to control certain pests in horticulture.
Pyrinex is toxic to bees
Four years go it was reported in the news that a new scientific study has found “dramatic” and “alarming” declines in insect populations in areas in Germany, which university researchers say could have far-reaching consequences for the world’s crop production and natural ecosystems.
What of New Zealand? Are we dowsing an environment with a unprecedented mixture of chemicals?
In the garden, the native orange-backed lady birds that prey on aphids are now rarely seen. Evening mayfly hatches on the river are almost non-existent. So are after-dark caddis fly hatches. There’s a world-wide decline in bee numbers including New Zealand.
In the high country when hunting, a kill of a deer or pig had dozens of blow-flies buzzing around. Now there are very few.
At home, moths in dozens no longer cluster around street lights or lighted house windows. There’s a big, big decline in insects banging into and being squashed on car windscreens in country areas. The warning signs are there.
1080 was developed as an insecticide firstly but has been found to be wonderfully versatile and now it is known to kill any animal, bird, tree or shrub that has a Krebs cycle. Somethings die quicker than others and so in very many areas of NZ it is now very rare to see masses of any insects. i feel delighted when a mayfly flits past my lawnmower whereas years ago they were common place, same with other insects and birds and now there is a large number of dead and dying trees on surrounding hillsides. What is the cause , damned if I know but 1080 is a very common denominator and present very far away from its orginal “drop” zones thanks to our wind and water.
Submissions to Authority just waste your time and energy. They don’t care and are driven purely by the almighty dollar.
All Government policy is aimed towards plundering our natural resources in the name of fiscal return.
The RMA is a joke, the imposed ECan was an environmental disaster for Canterbury, yet as predicted the Chickens are Coming Home to Roost!! With disastrous flow rates, sickening nitrate levels and regular algal blooms
Fish stocks are plummeting as are aquifer levels – but who cares.
Bleat all you want to Government, Councils, Regional Authorities – nothing will impede the relentless pursuit of more income – especially from overseas.
Selling off lands, especially productive farmland, to overseas interests. We are seeing the massive conversion of prime agricultural lands to mono-culture pine.
The OIO simply rubber-stamps purchases, even to the extent of pre-approving purchases. And of course, don’t forget that once sold overseas it can be transferred to another overseas investor without any consent needed by the NZ government.
The Ministry for the Environment remains a joke given its name, what it stands for and what it achieved.
MPI are even on the side of overseas interests, so we have in theory bureaucrat v bureaucrat which turns out to be a pretty one-sided battle – since no battle takes place – just roll over and tickle tums!
so don’t waste your time campaigning to deaf ears – the only place you’ll find influence is if a hit to our 100% Clean Green joke is felt overseas.