Didymo - Is there any progress?

 

 

A number of prime fisheries have been impacted by Didymo infestations, the Buller, Gowan, Hurunui, Tekapo, Waitaki, Mararoa, and Wairau Rivers come quickly to mind. Research shows clearly how Didymo can impacts on our fisheries, with greatly reduced numbers, and the total fish biomass declining by up to 90%.

 

Research also indicates that Didymo flourishes in rivers when the Dissolved Reactive Phosphorous (DRP) in the water is below 2 parts per billion. This is fairly well established now.

 

What we need is a means to get DRP into waterways without causing other problems such as putting in too much. This needs some experimenting on and it is believed that should we invest $500,000 over 4 years (NIWA and the Uni of Canterbury figure) we could conduct the necessary experiments and come up with a solution!

 

Food for thought indeed

 

At present very little is spent on this issue and the half million needed is in fact very little when we consider the impact on a half billion dollar industry

 

Future Rivers