Regional councillors have voted to allocate more than $400,000 to buy equipment for its fight against golden clams.
MPI at Lake Karapiro during the waka ama.
Corbicula fluminea was found in the Waikato River in May 2023 and is an invasive, fast breeding pest which can cause havoc in the country’s waterways.
The clams are in Lake Karāpiro, which hosts major water events.
“We want to be an exemplar in this space and do more than the bare minimum to protect waterways in our region and elsewhere,” council chief executive Chris McLay said.
The fight has become one of containment.
“We are now clear on what we need to do, which requires investment in more equipment and gear, like waders, life jackets and steam cleaners, as well as additional space for storing, cleaning and drying these items,” McLay said.
The decision to use money from the previous year’s surplus was carried – but only eight of the 14 votes were in favour.
Pamela Storey
They were council chair Pamela Storey, Bruce Clarkson, Kataraina Hodge, Stu Kneebone, Tipa Mahuta, Jennifer Nickel, Noel Smith, and Angela Strange. Robert Cookson, Mich’eal Downard, Clyde Graf, Chris Hughes and Warren Maher were opposed and Ben Dunbar-Smith abstained.
Waikato Regional Council will invest the money in gear, equipment and storage facilities
The council has increased water quality monitoring over summer and its presence on the water to monitor compliance with boat safety rules.
Councillors will discuss, next month, adding another $170,000 into in their draft 2025-26 Annual Plan to fund education and more monitoring.
What the clams look like
