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Database Title

9.1 New Zealand Freshwater Fish Database
Keywords
Type1.
Type 11.		 Freshwater, fish, fish distribution, fish abundance.
Abstract

The New Zealand Freshwater Fish Database records the occurrence of fish in New Zealand freshwaters, including major offshore islands. The database is stored in an EMPRESS Relational Database Management System at NIWA's Greta Point campus in Wellington. Data stored include the site location, the species present, their abundance and size, fishing methods used and a description of the site.

Data are recorded on special forms and are contributed voluntarily by NIWA, Fish and Game Councils, the Department of Conservation, regional councils, environmental consultants, universities and interested individuals.
Geographical Coverage New Zealand.
Position is defined using NZMS map grid.
Dataset start date. 1960s. Some lesser quality and spot record data exists for earlier years
Dataset end date. Current
Status/currency. In progress
Update frequency. As data becomes available. There is no systematic programme to update records.

 

Technical Evaluation

  
Parameters- what is measured For each species of fish:
  • life stage
  • relative abundance (either by direct count or using a qualitative scale)
  • minimum and maximum lengths

Site information is also collected.
Parameters- what is calculated Fish densities
Methods used to measure parameters All freshwater fishing methods are used including: a variety of netting methods; spotlights and electric fishing. There are no protocols and so there is variability in the effort/time spent searching for fish. There is a standard form to complete. This form includes fish and site information.
Secondary sources of data N/A
Scale of use. 1:50,000
Number of records There are 14,500 freshwater fish database record forms completed.
GIS compatibility. Every site is identified by a grid reference using the NZMS 260 grid.
Available formats for users. Specific requests are made to the database manager. The standard output is on the web site. This lists the species found in particular water bodies.
Access constraints. There are no access constraints but there is a subscription fee for access to the web site. Those parties who have not contributed to the database are charged for the database manager's time.
Measurement Accuracy To be completed by database manager.
Completeness of dataset National coverage is high. Completeness of individual records is variable.
Positional accuracy 100m
Database steward NIWA
Database custodian NIWA
Database custodian contact person Jody Richardson
Database custodian Contact
Address
Phone
Fax
Email		 NIWA
P.O. Box 11 115
Hillcrest
Hamilton
+64 7 856 7026
+64 7 856 0151
j.richardson@niwa.cri.nz or fwdba@frc.niwa.cri.nz
References  
Date metadata record prepared. October 1999
Author of metadata record. Victoria Froude

 

Management Evaluation

  
Original purpose. To ensure that data on freshwater fish occurrences are not lost and remain accessible over time.
Relationships with classification systems. Fish classification
catchment number system
Relationships with other databases N/A
Known relationships with proposed EPIP indicators. N/A
Who uses this database? A variety of research and management agencies and individuals including: Department of Conservation, fish and game councils, consultants, regional councils, universities, NIWA and private individuals.
Public awareness of the database There is a reasonable knowledge of the database by those interested in freshwater matters. There have been a number of popular articles on the database.
Database strengths.
  • It is a national database.
  • The information comes from a wide range of organisations.
  • The database is nationally funded (PGSF).
  • The data accuracy is relatively high because one person enters the data and checks if species are recorded in inappropriate locations.
  • The database is accessible and has avoided the risk of many small separate databases.
  • The database is well known by those involved in freshwater fish management.
  • The database is available on the internet.
Database limitations.
  • The data is collected by a variety of collectors who have varying skills in correctly identifying fish species.
  • There is a lot qualitative information in the database.
  • Data is collected in a variety of ways and is not repeatable because there are no data collection protocols.
  • The main method of collecting data is electric fishing. This technique is only appropriate for accessible and wadeable streams. This means that deep water and inaccessible sites are under represented in the database.
  • The conspicuousness of fish species changes during the day. Fish species are most visible at night when identification is difficult.
  • The database is a central repository for fish data. It is not monitoring.
  • Migratory fish numbers can show large differences depending on the season and year.
  • While there is good baseline data for many sites, there are a number of sites for which no baseline data exists.
  • The database addresses the presence or absence of fish species. Absence is hard to prove.
  • There is no specific programme to regularly update site specific data on the database

 

What are the Current and Emerging Uses of the Database for:

  
Assisting with determining historic state/baseline. This is difficult because data has not been collected systematically over time. It is possible to show changes over the period that records have been kept.
Assisting with determining current state/baseline. This database is used to identify which species are present at particular sites.
Assisting with modeling possible future outcomes. This is not possible with this database as it has little quantitative information.
Risk assessment. There is good baseline data for many sites. This can be used to assess risk.
Monitoring site selection and sample design. The database can identify diverse and impoverished sites for freshwater fish. Altitude and distance from the sea are important factors affecting freshwater fish distribution.
Aggregating and reporting data locally, regionally or nationally. Data can be reported by water body, catchment number, region (through the use of river catchment numbers to define regions) and nationally.

The usefulness of this database could be enhanced by the development of methodology protocols. Data collected using these protocols could be kept as a separate subset to the main database. This would still allow the existing records to remain relevant and allow people to continue to add data if they were unable/unwilling to use a more rigorous methodology. The use of methodology protocols would allow the database to be used to answer a wider range of questions than is currently possible.