The Halswell River - An overlooked link connecting the city to the lake

Living in Christchurch it often surprises me how few people know about or send time at Lake Ellesmere ( Te Waihora) which is New Zealand's fourth largest lake. The lake is a vast wetland wilderness on the edge of a city, rich in bird and fish life. There are also options for water based recreation and photography. A virtual wilderness. One connection from the edge of Christchurch city to the lake is the Halswell River which flows for 20 kilometres before emptying into the lake. The Halswell River is a large spring creek that starts in the suburb of Halswell. In it's upper reaches it has fast flowing water over a gravel bed and a rich diversity of native fish such as lamprey, eels and bullies along with several species of Galaxid ( whitebait) . The Halswell is also brown trout fishery. Yet the river has suffered from high silt loads over the last ten years that have degraded it's values, yet it still remains a rich and biological diverse waterway. the lower Halswell, just before it flows into Lake Ellesmere , is an extremely productive environment. Thousands of juvenile eels live in the rivers sediment. The endangered Australasian bittern breeds in raupo beds. Indeed the lower Halswell River may be the most productive and bio-diverse spring creek on the South Island's East Coast. The river is a vital input of freshwater into lake Ellesmere. The best way to experience the Halswell River is to take a day to kayak its length. To me the Halswell is a special river for trout fishing, eeling and wildlife photography- very much an overlooked connection by many. For more information on the Halswell River I have set up this Facebook Group- https://www.facebook.com/pages/Halswell-River-Awareness-Group/316784828345802 Please "Like" if interested. Your observations and comments are welcome. Thanks- Peter Langlands/Wild capture Research

Bittern blog: Bitterns return to the mouth of the Avon River

Bittern blog: Bitterns return to the mouth of the Avon River: For the third year in a row ( 2012-2014) bitterns have returned to the mouth of the Avon River. It is very pleasing to have such a rare bir...

Concern about black-fronted terns

One of only two black-fronted tern fledglings produced from a colony of 60+ pairs on the upper Rangitata which was partially flooded and may have also been predated. Breaks my heart to see photos of people driving 4wds through colonies on the more stable, smaller rainfed foothill rivers in Canterbury when I see how hard these birds struggle in the more unstable high country rivers- this species is seriously on the way out unless more active management takes place

South Island Edible Seaweed Guide

A 15 page guide to the edible seaweed species found in New Zealand's South Island. Written and photographed by Peter Langlands. A practical guide for the wild food forager with key information on the different types of seaweed, where and when to harvest, and key tips for seaweed preparation and recipes. Seaweeds are well known for their health benefits and flavour, to enhance meals and add a unique point of interest. This guide will set you up to make the most of our seaweed resource. Sent out in PDF format as a Ebook for $15- to order please email me - langlands@xtra.co.nz

Canterbury Whitebaiting Guide

Thanks to National Radio- Katherine Ryan for the opportunity to talk about our whitebait fishery today- 190813. I am just completing the 2013 Canterbury Whitebaiting Guide - which covers techniques and locations along with a selection of photographs of white baiting in the region. The guide will be available from 1 September and is written, photographed and illustrated by Peter Langlands. the 50 page guide is sent out electronically as a PDF file for $20. To order please email me- langlands@xtra.co.nz Good luck all for the season ahead.

New Zealand's surf clams- un tapped gold in the sands ?

Recent surveys have found that our coastal waters have a huge biomass of surf clams that may be able to sustain a 400 million dollar a year fishery. Many of these shellfish are relatively unheard of by many New Zealanders but international markets have got their eyes on them. Can they be harvested sustainably with minimal environmental impacts ? I have a large image library of all the main surf clam species, and also of other types of edible shellfish in New Zealand waters. I have also eaten a wide range of shellfish and can advise of their characteristics. Of all the Storm clam is my favourite- unknown to many.... If you require any surf calm images, information or photos of any shellfish occurring in our waters then please email me. I can offer advise and have complete Masters level paper in aquaculture at Canterbury University. Peter Langlands Wild Capture Photography E:langlands@xtra.co.nz

I have a comprehensive image library of accurately identified fish caught in New Zealands' Exclusive Economic Zone such as this Oilfish Ruvettus pretiosus

taken as orange roughy bycatch during exploratory fishing in 1995. Conatct me for a list of available images. Peter Langlands- Wild-Capture Photography - langlands@xtra.co.nz The oilfish, Ruvettus pretiosus, is a species of snake mackerel in the family Gempylidae, and the only species in the genus Ruvettus. It is found in the Mediterranean, middle Atlantic and throughout the southern seas, at depths between 100 and 800 m. Its length is between 80 cm and 2 m. The flesh is very oily and although edible, the oil actually consists of wax esters, which are not digested like traditional oil. The flesh has an oil content of around 25%, and with serving sizes of several ounces and upwards commonplace, some people experience a laxative side effect from such a large amount of wax esters. Oilfish is pleasantly rich in taste and can be substantially cheaper than some other fish species, leading to some fish sellers to intentionally mislabel it as butterfish or even codfish, despite the utter lack of relation. This leads the consumer to often eat large servings, as they assume it is a fish with which they are familiar, and then some may experience a laxative effect. Because of this, Japan and Italy have imposed an import ban on oilfish, and Australia has banned oilfish from being sold as food. The US FDA has warned consumers about potential mislabeling of oilfish, but has concluded any laxative side effects that occur are uncomfortable at worst and pose no health risk.[1] See also: Escolar substitution for tuna. Escolar, a relative of oilfish, also has high concentrations of wax esters.