The Ngāti Tarāwhai Iwi Trust is requesting Lake Okataina in the Bay of Plenty be temporarily closed to all boat traffic, to protect it from an invasion of gold clams.
“We can no longer wait for the invasive species of freshwater golden clam or corbicula fluminea to hitch a ride on a boat that has come from the Waikato river and enter our precious lake,” Ngāti Tarāwhai Iwi Trust chairperson Cyrus Hingston says.
Gold clams deprive native species of food, and smother native plants while releasing nutrients into the water that can lead to algae blooms.
They are difficult to eradicate and can produce some 400 offspring per day, Hingston says.
The trust has asked the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to publish a Controlled Area Notice (CAN), which is a legal instrument issued under section 131 of the Biosecurity Act 1993, that makes specific activities - like boats entering the rohe - illegal.
The trust says it has consulted with Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group, Te Arawa Lakes Trust, Te Arawa Iwi leaders, and local community organisations.
It will maintain talks with everyone interested in the lake’s protection and care.
“Lake Okataina is at the centre of our ancestral estate and is of great cultural, spiritual and ecological importance to the people of Ngāti Tarāwhai,” trustee Ruakiri Fairhall says.
“We are committed to safeguarding the unique beauty of Lake Okataina, the ecological balance, and the safety of everyone who cherishes and appreciates the unique nature of our taonga.” Fairhall added.
The trust says it is only seeking a temporary closure while a long-term plan to manage the threat of the clams is established.
MPI is yet to respond to the request.