by Tony Orman
Trout need rivers with fresh, flowing water so the two are closely dependent in the sense that rivers can depend on trout to be the focus so as to stimulate public opposition to rivers being depleted in flow and/or contaminated by chemicals and other contaminants.
Trout in a sense, are “the canary in the coal-mine.”
A leading ecologist and a controversial one at that Mike Joy has written a book “The Fight for Freshwater”, i.e. a memoir that delves deeply into the decline of New Zealand’s freshwater and in particular lowland rivers.
In May 2011, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key was interviewed by Stephen Sackur on the BBC’s Hard Talk television show.
Stephen Sackur, told Key that New Zealand’s slogan “clean and green” was no longer true and quoted Dr. Mike Joy of Massey University as saying New Zealand was delusional about the environmental threats and especially freshwater.
Sackur cited Mike Joy’s research, which had found half of the lakes and 90 per cent of lowland rivers in New Zealand were polluted.
John Key Grilled
A clearly uncomfortable John Key defensively responded that he did not share Mike Joy’s view. Stephen Sackur was a firm forthright interviewer and challenged PM John Key that New Zealand was clearly not “100 per cent pure” as it has problems with water pollution and the decline of native species. He again cited Mike Joy, who had said New Zealand has become complacent about its environmental crisis around freshwater.
In the first chapter in his newly published book, Mike Joy recalls that the interview on BBC Hardtalk “dragged him into the national spotlight.”
In his book. Mike Joy refers to the Oroua River in the Manawatu as being badly polluted by sewage from the town of Feilding. It must have been happening decades earlier to Mike Joy’s days as I recall in my Manawatu boyhood in the 1950s, the river being so badly polluted that we never fished it below the bridge at Feilding.
In his book, Mike Joy has dared to poke his head above the parapet. He is controversial because while many agree with him, obviously others echoing ex-PM John Key, do not.
On becoming a scientist and getting involved in research on native fish, Mike Joy soon saw through the politics surrounding freshwater management and how the dice could be loaded by devious politicians and bureaucrats and even by compliant sycophantic or timid scientists.
For example he was invited to join the Land and Water Forum but saw through the orchestrated setup.
“However I soon gave up when I realised the balance of forum members was so comprehensively stacked in favour of environmental exploiters that it felt like an over-whelming dominance of — those who with vested economic interests.”
Failure
“The failure of the LAWF process is obvious as freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity continue their decline and the drivers of harm have a free run.”
Mike Joy doesn’t pull his punches. Compliant scientists get a rap as do departments bureaucrats and the Department of Conservation for its inertia..
“What I saw as the capture of public servants and scientists dependent on industry and government funding is what made me angry,” he writes.
He was incensed at the Department of Conservation’s decision around 2008, to start giving consents for commercial eel fishers to harvest long fin eels within national parks and reserves. Initially when told, he refused to believe it. After all Mike Joy had worked with DOC for years on saving native fish.
He tried to reason with DOC staff. But the muzzling had been implemented.
“The DOC scientists were also appalled but could not say so.”
Victims in issues like this are often scientists. Science is too often corrupted.
The long fin eel debacle left him with a sour taste.
But Mike Joy is undeterred, in fact resilient and determined.
The Fight Continues
The last line of his writing says “I will be continuing the fight for freshwater.”
The book after an account of his early pre-university days develops into a riveting account of his mission to save the public’s freshwater rivers, streams and lakes.
It’s an inspirational read that every trout and salmon fisherman should find inspiring. For many – too many in today’s society – it will hopefully cause a shedding of the twin shackles of apathy and lethargy and encourage anglers to join him in the fight. The book deserves to open many eyes as to the quiet but urgent crisis.
The NZ Federation of Freshwater Anglers gets a mention. Immediate past federation president Dr Peter Trolove who has carried out untiring research work on nitrate levels in water ways – nitrate levels that are far too high for the health of fish, both native and trout and salmon – and even that of humans – fittingly gets a nod.
The fight is just not for your rivers and trout fishing but also that of your children and grand-children, so go get a copy of Mike Joy’s book.This courageous guy needs your support. Highly recommended.
While Mike Joy’s primary interest is native fish, he is a realist and knows anglers who advocate for trout and salmon are fighting for the same habitats.
Mike is a friend of the NZFFA and has helped me access a number of peer reviewed papers.
I wholeheartedly endorse this book.
Yes in a world of apathy and inertia by most people, Dr. Mike Joy has the courage to stand tall and put his head above the parapet so as to speak, and face up to the slings and arrows. I applaud his work and welcome his book.
Thank you NZ Fed. Freshwater Anglers for the “heads up” on this new book.
When it comes to New Zealand’s government listening to health experts in the pandemic response it’s “all ears”, but when it comes to dealing with pollution of the public’s waterways, scientific advice such as from the likes of Dr Mike Joy seems less important. Of course there are some scientists who for selfish material reasons,
(well paid salary) just go along with the official narrative.