DOPE GROWERS BLAMED FOR LOW TROUT NUMBERS

An Eastern Bay of Plenty angler believes cannabis growers may be poaching
fish from the regions rivers and using them as fertiliser.

Angler Peter Francis said when he went fishing in the Rangitaiki
tributaries in and around the Waiohau Valley on the opening day of the
season, he saw less than a dozen trout instead of the hundreds of trout he
had come to expect.

"I've been fishing that area for at least 10 years and those streams on
opening day are loaded with fish. But when I was there this year there was
hardly anything," he said.

One possible reason for the low numbers is that fish is widely believed to
be the best fertiliser for cannabis plants, and that is where the fish may
have ended up.

"I've heard they (the growers) jump into the stream with big sticks and
drive the fish downstream into nets then bury the fish around their
marijuana plantations," Mr Francis said.

Fisheries ranger Graeme Ryder said the lack of fish was because they had
spawned earlier this year, and because of poaching. The number of honorary
rangers in the area had increased in an attempt to stamp out the problem.

"I think because of that it will settle back down again in the next 12
months or so."

Anyone who saw evidence of poaching was encouraged to use the 0800 number
on the back of their fishing licence to call a ranger.