Koura Sediment Trap and Catchment Development Plan

Catchment Group:

Otamita Catchment Group

Project:

Funding:

$63,000 excl. GST

Period:

Oct 21 to Jun 23

Project Description

This is a 2-year project that looks to improve farmer understanding around creating a water catchment where koura (NZ freshwater crayfish) will thrive. This could in turn lead to beneficial ecosystem outcomes, such as water quality improvements, and the opportunity to create a new product, marketplace and income stream through selling the farmed koura.

Phase one of the project looks to engage environmentally conscious farmers about farm plans, intensive winter grazing plans, greenhouse gas emission reduction plans and information on Council consenting processes. This phase will also include building data and undertaking water monitoring to further understand the catchment.
Phase two will begin on the work around growing koura on farm and will be planned out in conjunction with the community, Hokonui Rūnanga and Ernslaw One.
The final phase will pull all the learnings together with a catchment video, field day and report that will inform others around the process and the environmental and economic outcomes of farming koura.

Objectives

Improve farmer understanding and increase the implementation of practices that manage farming impacts through capability building, such as citizen science and measuring paddock runoff in and out of sediment traps.
Demonstrate farming koura in sediment traps in the Otamita catchment improves water quality and biodiversity, strengthens ecosystems and enhances the productive use of the farm.
Strengthen community stakeholder relationships through farming koura, by collaborating with schools, iwi, township, farmers and local organisations.
Develop economic outcomes by working closely with the Hokonui Rūnanga and explore market options for mahinga kai and the story and tradition of koura as a food source.
Provide a blueprint for all Southland farmers to take and use on their own properties on how to successfully grow koura on farm.

Outcomes

Full engagement and a strengthened local community working together to bring discernible improvements in water quality and momentum towards achieving long term goals.
Deliver an example on how to grow koura on farm to Southland with a focus on positive impact around nutrient and sediment mitigation.
Market options discovered that can be expanded upon around Southland.

Click here for the Otamita Catchment Group Page

BACK TO PROJECTS