Developing methods, using new acoustic camera technology, to count salmonids in turbid rivers
There are presently no practical methods for monitoring salmonid populations in turbid rivers. This limits Fish & Game NZ and Regional Councils to meet their statutory responsibilities of monitoring fish populations for fisheries management and for environmental effects assessment.
Funding: FRST
Project Manager: Dr John Hayes |
Physical and biological monitoring in Doubtful Sound
Cawthron leads ongoing monitoring of the near-surface oceanography and rock wall communities in Doubtful Sound under continued operation of the Manapouri Power Station and the discharge of freshwater into Deep Cove. Included in the programme is an array of physical moorings for measuring the low-salinity-layer and analyses of permanent photo-quadrats for monitoring the diverse communities that inhabit the steep rock walls.
Funding: Meridian Energy Ltd
Project Manager: Dr Chris Cornelisen |
Developing molecular methods for macroinvertebrate biomonitoring
An internally-funded project investigating the feasibility of using molecular methods to identify and enumerate macroinvertebrate taxa collected from streams. Applications could include development of a rapid tool for stream biomonitoring.
Funding: Cawthron
Project Manager: Dr Dean Olsen |
Providing models and information for understanding effects of flow change on salmonids and aquatic invertebrate drift
This research is aimed at helping regional councils set environmentally sustainable river flow regimes.
Funding: FRST
Project Manager: Dr John Hayes |
Assessing the potential and limitations of rainbow trout bioenergetics models for application in New Zealand
Developing bioenergetics modelling capability for rainbow trout - and validating habitat suitability criteria for traditional instream habitat modelling. Bioenergetics models help predict the effects of environmental change on salmonids, effects of salmonids on native fish and invertebrate prey, and management of harvest and stocking levels.
Funding: FRST
Project Manager: Dr John Hayes |
Functional approaches to measuring river ecosystem health
Developing a framework for the use of functional indicators for assessing river ecosystem health in New Zealand. In conjunction with local government scientists, we have been trialing both organic decomposition and ecosystem metabolism to asses these techniques for regular river health monitoring.
Funding: Funded by the Ministry for the Environment’s Sustainable Management Fund
Project Manager: Dr Roger Young |
Integrated Catchment Management
The ICM project is a multi-disciplinary project providing information, knowledge and tools that will improve the management of land, freshwater, and near-coastal environments in catchments with, interacting, and conflicting land uses. The project is a partnership between Landcare Research, Tasman District Council and the Cawthron Institute. For more information http://icm.landcareresearch.co.nz
Funding: FRST and sub-contracted from Landcare Research
Project Manager: Dr Roger Young |
Increasing knowledge of NZ’s problematic freshwater cyanobacteria and development of tools for the early detection of cyanotoxins and toxic species in NZ waterbodies
Results from this research will be valuable for NZ water managers as it appears some of our toxin producing species are unique.
Funding: A PostDoc funded by the FRST
Project Manager: Dr Susie Wood |
Port Nelson and Nelson City Council Long-term Monitoring Programme (LTMP)
A four year monitoring programme to provide the Port and Council with a long-term record of environmental quality in areas potentially affected by Port activities, and to provide a basis for formulating any mitigative steps that may be required in the future.
Funding:
Project Manager: Paul Barter |
Blenheim Sewage Treatment Plant (BSTP) Discharge AEE
A study of the discharge of industrial and domestic effluent to the lower end of the Wairau River estuary on the outgoing tide through the existing PPCS outfall. The study incorporates 4 components:
- Desktop review of discharge options
- Effluent mixing and dispersion studies for preferred option
- Receiving environment ecology, fisheries, other values
- Water and Sediment quality, including human health issues
Funding:
Project Manager: Paul Barter |
A River Plume Ecosystem (RPE) Concept for Evaluating and Managing Catchment-sea Linkages
The coastal component of Cawthron’s Motueka Integrated Catchment management (ICM) project investigates river outwelling influences that define the RPE and implications for sustainable management of coastal resources. Investigation of ecosystem function in Tasman Bay, a single-catchment dominated embayment, is used to provide a blueprint for establishing catchment-based management criteria for New Zealand’s coastal environment.
Funding: FRST and subcontracted from Landcare Research
Project Manager: Dr Paul Gillespie |
Monitoring of the Effects Bell Island Wastewater Outfall Discharge and Biosolids Disposal on the Receiving Environment of Waimea Inlet and Tasman Bay
This covers a series of ongoing monitoring programmes (starting in 1990).
Funding: Nelson Regional Sewerage Business Unit (Nelson City Council)
Project Manager: Dr Paul Gillespie |
Coastal State of the Environment (SOE) Monitoring of Soft Sediment Habitats
Cawthron has developed a protocol for broad and fine-scale assessment and monitoring of the health/condition of soft sediment coastal seabed environments. The protocol has been used to develop long term SOE monitoring programmes for a number of coastal habitats (e.g. Waimea Inlet, Horoirangi Marine Reserve).
Funding: Regional and local councils and Department of Conservation
Project Manager: Dr Paul Gillespie |
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