4 Discussion
4.1 The recreational use of freshwater
The value of freshwater for recreation depends on the needs of various recreational activities. These range from low-cost, low-energy, low-skill-required, convenient activities that do not require specific water qualities (eg, picnicking or walking beside a lake), to activities that are relatively higher cost, require a high level of technical skill and equipment, and are more expensive and time demanding (eg, white-water kayaking). The latter activities often require more specific water body conditions, such as high water quality, rapids, gear set-up areas, or good-sized fish.
This project aimed to gather information from the full range of different freshwater recreational activities. The water bodies listed in Table 1 are from a range of information sources, intended to cover most types of freshwater recreation in New Zealand.
As a result, we have identified two predominant types of water bodies of national importance for recreation:
- those that are easily accessed, close to population centres, and consequently highly used
- those that are relatively isolated from population centres, difficult to access and used by few people, but which provide an exceptional recreation experience for specific forms of recreation.
These differences exist both between general types of recreation (identified through the phone survey (BRC, 2004b) and for specific forms of recreation (identified through members of recreational associations in the phone survey). For example, some people fish for relaxation at the most convenient water body, while others seek out a unique experience at remote and technically difficult locations.
These differences in the levels of expectation and appreciation of water bodies make it very problematic to produce a combined, ranked list of water bodies that reflects comparable value for all forms of recreation. A water body may be especially important for recreation for a number of reasons, but the main reasons appear to be location and type of water body.
- Location - water bodies located close to population centres are more highly used (eg, Taupo) than water bodies that are relatively isolated from population centres. However, although locations that are difficult to access may only be used by a few people, they may provide an exceptional recreation experience for specific forms of recreation (eg, Mokau River).
- Type of water body - a water body also has value for the
specific type of recreation it provides, including:
- unique water body conditions (eg, white-water kayaking can only be done on certain rivers)
- specific in-stream water qualities (eg, salmon fishing can only be done at specific locations).
Water bodies identified through the phone and internet surveys have been ranked. Rankings are based on level of use rather than any perceptions our respondents had on their national importance. We were unable to rank water bodies identified within the full list (Appendix 1).
4.2 National phone survey
The phone survey (BRC, 2004b) provided information predominantly about the use of water bodies for low-cost, low-energy, low-skill-required, convenient activities that do not require specific water qualities. This survey therefore tended to identify water bodies close to population centres, easy to access and popular for a range of activities. Twenty lakes and 10 rivers were identified by more than 10 respondents. The most popular recreational activities identified were walking, general sightseeing, picnicking, swimming and fishing.
Lake Taupo (Waikato) was the water body most often identified in the phone survey, mentioned by 250 people as the most popular water body for a range of recreational activities (BRC, 2004b). We attribute this to its central location for a number of population centres, size, the ease of access to water in many places, its range of conditions, and the water quality required for different recreational activities. Rotorua Lake (Bay of Plenty) was the second most identified water body in this survey, and Lake Wakatipu (Otago) the third.
4.3 Internet survey
There was some overlap (10) of water bodies identified in the phone and internet surveys, but generally the surveys identified water bodies of value to different recreational user groups.
The internet survey (BRC, 2004a) provided information predominantly about the use of water bodies for activities that are relatively higher cost, require a high level of technical skill and equipment, and are more expensive and time demanding. Nineteen rivers and seven lakes were identified in this survey. The Motu River (Bay of Plenty) was the most popular water body, the Buller River (West Coast) was second most popular, and Lake Waikaremoana (Hawke's Bay) third.
Canoeists and kayakers appear to be well represented in the survey results, probably due to the high level of organisation of their national representative body and a high level of response to the opportunity to influence national policy. As a result, the water bodies identified in the internet survey strongly reflect canoeing and kayaking values.
4.4 Whitebaiting
Whitebaiting information was found through the internet and phone surveys, and through existing information. Fishers accounted for 14% of total recreationalists, both in our internet survey (BRC, 2004a) and in the phone survey (BRC, 2004b). However, 14% of the fishers identified in the internet survey were whitebaiters, while 32% of the fishers in the phone survey identified themselves as whitebaiters. We also sought additional information from Department of Conservation experts and representatives of whitebaiting associations (Appendix 5). Twelve water bodies were identified for whitebaiting only.
4.5 Wetlands
Twenty-one wetlands, lagoons or inlets have been identified for potential national importance for recreation in Table 1. We have also included additional information from the Wetlands of National Importance to Fisheries report (Davis, 1987). We expect consultation to strengthen our information for wetlands, particularly for the hunting of waterfowl.
4.6 Angling information and water conservation orders
Freshwater bodies important for angling, as identified in fish and game angling surveys (1994, 2002), were found to be consistent with water bodies that have water conservation orders (Appendix 4), and those identified in the phone and internet surveys. Because many of the water bodies identified from these information sources cross-match consistently, we consider the angling information to be robust.
4.7 Geographic coverage
The potential water bodies of recreational value identified through this project reflect a range of water bodies and recreation activities throughout New Zealand. The list includes rivers, lakes and wetlands from all regions except Gisborne. No water bodies were identified as meeting criteria for potential national importance for recreation in the Gisborne region. As regions have different numbers, types and sizes of water bodies, we expected water bodies identified as potentially nationally important for recreation to vary between regions.
