Lakefront community battles against impacts of one man's mistake from 50 years ago: 'Arrogant actions'

An intentional act done to New Zealand's waterways decades ago has continued to negatively affect water quality. Luckily, ecologists have successfully fished for a solution by removing most of the invasive species, including rudd, tench, and koi carp.

"Lake Tomarata was one of the best examples of native biodiversity in the Auckland region," the narrator said. Belinda Studholme, a freshwater ecologist on the Auckland Council, noted how the invasive fish affected the ecosystem by overeating the kakahi freshwater mussels and submerged plants that symbiotically naturally filter bacteria and sediment from the water.

@rnzsocial A pest eradication project at Lake Tomarata north of Auckland is cleaning up water that has not been the same since a fanatical fisherman illegally introduced invasive fish more than 50 years ago. Auckland Council - with assistance from University of Waikato - has been using gill nets to remove rudd and tench species which have had a devastating impact on the lake's ecosystem. ##rnz #newzealand #interview #news #auckland #fishing #fish ♬ original sound - RNZ

So, who knowingly and illegally added as many as 15,000 invasive fish across New Zealand's waters, and why? The culprit was Stewart Smith, a fisherman from the UK who set his sights on Lake Tomarata in 1971, per the narrator.

In the video, Waikato University associate professor Nick Ling said, "[Smith] thought that New Zealand needed these species to make it a little piece of England. … Now we've got this legacy problem."

"So one man's ignorant arrogant actions damaged our waterways possibly permanently & cost the country millions in pest control," noted one commenter.

After three years of hard work casting nets, ecologists managed to "remove over 95% of the population." Now, the lake has a chance to reset itself, allowing biodiversity to regain balance and improve lake quality.

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"Did we not LEARN ANYTHING I can't believe that man," a commenter said. "This makes me so angry."

What's happening in this New Zealand lake is why people shouldn't be negligent about invasive species, whether plants or animals. In Florida, an annual competition has removed over 31,000 invasive lionfish, and people can get $100 to catch silver carp in Tennessee.

Like the lake plants in Lake Tomarata, adding native plants to your lawn filters the environment. They absorb carbon dioxide from the air, much more so than non-native ones, thanks to their deeper roots. Since they quickly adapt to the environment and attract pollinators, there's no need to risk pollution through chemical fertilizers.

With these less-thirsty plants, homeowners conserve water and money while avoiding worsening drought-prone areas. Using native groundcovers that anchor the soil, like wild ginger, can reduce erosion and water runoff that often pollute local waterways. From New Zealand to the United States, native species are worth protecting and cultivating. Start creating a vibrant and cleansing pollinator haven by learning how to rewild your yard today.