Recently our local Toe-Paw Council have been requesting submissions for their long-term plan. In most towns this is just a political forward-planning exercise to show they have consulted with their ratepayers, as they have already decided their budget and spending priorities. In Turangi it is different. We are talking about survival! Simply, the resident population continues to shrink, the unemployed % exceeds Taupo and the rest of NZ, with no direction from the Council who ignored all other similar plans. It is in trouble.
For example, for your long weekend reading pleasure (?), the following report is a repeat from two years ago.
Government seeking innovative tourist projects
TRM’s response to the Government’s request for applications to a $54m fund for tourism initiatives.
The government is seeking new ideas for innovative tourism projects to help the industry become more sustainable and resilient.
This idea is an absolute winner. It is not new; it simply got lost by neglect over time. Now is the ideal time to have another hard look at the Turangi trout fishing industry.
TRM have the solution of course – it has been posted many times on social media, but will they take any notice?
The Tongariro River is the key to sustainable Tourist activities in Turangi.
Historically, it is one of the most famous and resilient trout fishing rivers in the world. True! An enviable reputation was established almost one hundred years ago when a more enlightened NZ Government was similarly desperate to showcase our trout fishery to the world, so they invited a famous American writer, Zane Grey, and sponsored his trip to Turangi. He wrote up about it in his book The Anglers’ Eldorado in 1926.
He was followed by many famous anglers such as the “Royals” – starting with the Duchess of York (The late Queen’s mother), Queen Elizabeth and King Charles have all fished here. They reinforced the reputation. No other river in NZ could boast such a rich history. But since then any further promotion and development of new anglers’ access trails have been neglected by the Fishery Managers (DOC) and Council.
To directly address their request, “The government is seeking new ideas for innovative tourism projects to help the industry become more sustainable and resilient.“… This is such a simple easily doable plan which would double the size of the river fishing and provide an even more popular biking trail to link up with existing DOC-managed trails in the Kaimanawas. Extraordinary! We explain:
First the trout fishing. The Tongariro has a huge competitive advantage of being a wild fishery open all year. Compare the rest of NZ with closed seasons to provide for spawning and releasing trout to maintain their sustainability… Yet only about one third of the river is fished. This proposal is to double the fishable water by simply providing anglers’ access to the upper river.
The lower river was once subject to most of the angler pressure. There was even an anglers camp at the delta. The Braids is now a shadow of what it once was and still recovering after the August flood. There are no easy access tracks on the TLB or beyond Grace Road. This has further reduced the extent of fishing opportunities in recent years.
The upper river access extends to the Fence Pool without any walking access beyond that. If an anglers loop access track was extended up to Poutu Pool it would open up over 10 km more river bank fishing on either side. It would be like discovering a new Tongariro River. It is that simple! But there is more…
Below is a recent blog by TRM:
How history repeats itself?
The tourist fishing business has been so quiet recently (during Covid), I found time to re-read some of TRM’s library of fishing books. A favourite Taupo author O. S. Hintz wrote “Trout at Taupo” in 1955 and a sequel, “FISHERMAN’S PARADISE” in 1975. The Introduction by Viscount Cobham suggests ‘Budge’ Hintz is worthy to be regarded as the Izaak Walton of New Zealand. We concur.
In the author’s note at the start, he writes: “I make no apology for having introduced into the following pages certain aspects of angling politics….. anglers and other conservationists have been forced to enter the dusty arena of politics… etc.” Fifty years later, nothing has changed.
Now TRM can no longer avoid entering the arena of politics as it is a matter of survival after the Covid lockdowns crippled many local small businesses. i.e. In Turangi alone the trout fishing “industry” was reduced by losing two tackle shops, three motels (now used as “Emergency” housing), various lodges and B&Bs, the largest rafting company, cafes and restaurants closed, numerous fishing guides “retired”, etc.
Now it is time to consider the real value of what we were at risk of losing and why it is well worth investing into…
Hintz was also the Editor of the New Zealand Herald (so his understanding of the economics of the trout fishing industry was better than any other trout fishing author) Back in 1955 Hintz wrote how Taupo fishing is not what it used to be although most anglers would still class it “superlatively good”. (Ditto in 2022) He postulated that sooner rather than later every true trout fisherman becomes at heart a conservationist. At that stage, he must be prepared to do battle not only with engineers, property developers, commercial exploitation, and the ‘improvers’ of the landscape, but also with the bureaucrats.
Regular Tongariro fishos who are readers of TRM blogs might confirm that we have followed his example fifty years later. The importance of these “water issues” cannot be overstated. Apathetic anglers cannot afford to continue to give in to political selfishness and regional council engineers’ neglect.
Back then he wrote: “The biggest question mark of all hangs over the largest and most productive tributary to the whole Taupo system, the Tongariro River.” Back then it was the scene of a gigantic plumbing operation that diverted water away from the river into Lake Rotoaira to fuel the Tokaanu Power Station turbines. Back then the effects of the reduced flow on the Tongariro were unpredictable.
It is almost impossible to impress Wellington grey suits of the likely impacts of any conservation threats to river fisheries, such as trout farming or irrigation or power projects or their failed flood protection works. To try to convince the bureaucrats of the importance of Tongariro fishing, Hintz was forced to follow what he referred to as the “American approach”, to convert everything to simple $$$ so they might understand the economic importance of what they threaten to destroy.
I am sure the Minister of Tourism, Stuart Nash, and the Prime Minister (and her TV fishing guru fiance?), and DOC (in their role as Taupo fishery managers) and MBIE (Ministry of Everything), will appreciate TRM’s budgeting exercise, as so far there has been no indication anywhere of what was lost by their lockdowns. After anxiously and optimistically waiting for about 2 years for some inspiring indication, typically we have to eventually calculate it ourselves.
First, obviously, this is a very arbitrary exercise. I do not pretend to be an economist more familiar with reducing everything to dollar terms. The fact is, even though I think it is a deplorable exercise, I could not resist the challenge. I doubt I can summon up the statistical passion of the Americans or Government boffins or DOC, as I do not believe it is possible to calculate the extraordinary benefits and pleasures that tourists derive from trout fishing in a cash flow on a balance sheet. But this exercise has to start somewhere by applying top-of-the-head fishy stuff without reference available to any up-to-date Taupo fishery stats, to try to prove the immense value at risk, of the value of the Taupo fishery to the local economy.
The only economic analysis referred to – see below – was “Taupo: A Treasury of Trout” based on the 1982-83 fishing season. Ironically, the preface for that publication was by the Patron of the North Island Wildlife Conservancy Council, O. S. Hintz CMG. He confirmed that the economic analysis: “establishes beyond any doubt the importance of the Taupo Fishery as a national asset, internationally recognised.”
Back then the estimated total expenditures and capital values of private assets resulting from anglers’ 1982-83 fishing activities in the Taupo district were:
Expenditure $16.7 million (average angler $370).
Capital value $112 Million (= $2,493 per angler).
For the 1982-83 season the estimated business activity generated within Taupo was:
The total turnover of all businesses combined was $10.8 million (average $57,447 per business).
Total profit $1.4 million (average $7,447 per business).
Total capital value $23 million (average $122,340 per business).
Total employment 244 (average 1.3 per business).
The date is also relevant to prove the resilience of the Taupo fishery as since then it was hardly promoted at all and relied more on the rusty fading reputation from when Zane Grey praised it almost 100 years ago. Since then, more recently the team at DGLT (Destination Great Lake Taupo) have tried to correct the neglect and have effectively commenced to re-promote Turangi as “The Trout Fishing Capital of the World” again. (In the last ten years Taupo Council have tried – unsuccessfully – to rebrand Turangi as “The Source of the Lake” which has since been replaced by “Gateway to the National Park” ?) Unfortunately, this coincided with Covid lockdowns which prevented most annual licence holders from being able to travel to Turangi.
From licence sales (which have sadly steadily reduced over the last twenty years) their estimate was of some 40,000 anglers fishing annually at Taupo, devoting an average of twenty days a year to their fishing. Remarkably, coincidentally, perhaps predictably, these numbers are the same as used by Hintz about fifty years ago. But since then we need to factor in the huge inflationary trends to reflect the costs of enjoying this wonderful passion/pastime/sport/hobby. For accommodation, transport, licence costs, food, and incidentals, an extremely conservative daily rate of $370 has been applied.
This has to be extremely conservative as it is the same as used in the analysis of the 1982 season. i.e. if petrol prices in 1982 were used as an indicator to reflect inflation, the estimate could be increased seven or eight times! In the 1980’s petrol prices sat at around 36.7p a litre.
On that basis, TRM’s simple arithmetic estimate of the economic annual value of the Taupo Fishery (at risk since the Government imposed lockdowns) is calculated at $370 per angler/day x 20 days per year x 40,000 licences = wait for it…
$296,000,000 p.a. – which has to suggest a total annual value at risk of around $three hundred million!
NOTE, that is applying 1982 assessments of value. If inflation since was applied, using petrol price increases as a guide, the annual value would be…
OVER $2 zillion p.a.!
Almost unbelievable. They must be mistaken. You decide… MBIE will no doubt find an actuary bofffin in Treasury to correct me. That has to be worth fighting to protect. If it was to be realistic it should also factor in the $ value of the enjoyment, stress relief, increased fitness of participants, learning healthy outdoor recreational skills, etc. Typically, the Government has not even noticed. That is a far more secure tourist income than the Ruapehu skifields can generate yet is achieved without any promotion. Embattled skifield operator Ruapehu Alpine Lifts has just received a $4 million rescue package (in 2022) – partly with help from the Government – as it tries to make it to the next ski season.
It does make you think…
So now you know…
But the potential for further growth needs to be investigated!
THIS IS THE SOLUTION TO MBIE’s REQUEST TO IDENTIFY INNOVATIVE NEW RESILIENT TOURIST PROJECTS.…
Important Considerations for an innovative tourist project include:
Location: Turangi is strategically well located halfway to everywhere in the centre of the North Island – easily accessible with a wide range of accommodation options. The fishery has several lakes and rivers to provide for every method of trout fishing.
All year Trout fishing season: TheTaupo region trout fishing is open all year. Everywhere else in NZ any competing rivers have a closed season during half the year to provide for spawning. Therefore it is still open during the vital “shoulder” seasons when other tourist facilities are struggling. Some of the best fishing is during the winter months when the trout spawning runs occur. It’s resilience and sustaibability is proven beyond question over the last one hundred years.
A SUSTAINABLE wild fishery: Most other fisheries throughout NZ rely on Fish & Game to breed trout which are released into the lakes or rivers. Then they have to close during spawning to protect their fisheries. Comparatively, the Taupo trout are completely wild. The Tongariro and Lake Taupo breeding programme is the result of nature at work.
The Trout Centre: The Trout Centre situated on SH1 alongside the Tongariro River is a well-established tourist educational facility for showcasing the trout fishing industry, for displaying wild trout in natural stream surroundings, for watching trout underwater, for breeding trout as well as operating as a showcase for the industry with an aquarium. The “kids’ days” are very popular to allow novices (young and old) the opportunity to learn to cast a fly to catch a trout and have it smoked to take away. This is the only way the public can taste wild trout as they are not available for sale in NZ. The training facilities are already in place.
Maori involvement: Turangi’s population is about 65% Maori. As such, it is perfectly placed to train local Maori youth as tourist and fishing guides. The local Turangitukua tribe and wider Tuwharetoa tribes have a strong history associated with the lake and rivers. The biggest employer in the region is the forestry industry with few opportunities beyond at present to train up young people – male and female – in various tourist trout fishing roles – as tourist fishing guides, bike trail guides, catering, shuttle bus drivers, etc. i.e. One of the most enduring photos for trout fishing in this region was almost 100 years ago when a famous American author, Zane Grey, was accompanied by his guide Hoka Downs. He even tried to buy the river from the Downs family. Since then the lack of promotion for trout fishing on this river by both the fishery managers, DOC, or by the Taupo Council has been sadly lacking.
Experienced tutors: In Turangi, there is a large pool (excuse the pun!) of experienced fly fishing guides available to train young people in this industry. Many retired due to Covid impacts cutting off their supply of clients. They are highly skilled and would welcome this initiative. They know the river environment intimately and would be keen to be involved.
Access: Existing anglers’ access tracks along the Tongariro River banks have been used for over 100 years. Many have been closed off over the years as the fishery managers – DOC – claim they lacked the budget and staff to maintain them. These could all be redeveloped both up and down the river. From Turangi, about three-four km of riverbank fishing is available towards the delta. This lower river is subject to regular changes by flooding from aggradation – the build-up of sediment on the river bed.
Potential for expansion: The best potential for extending the fishery to accommodate tourists is upriver. There is about another ten km of river fishing that is neglected due to the lack of access tracks. If tracks were developed on both sides up to the scenic Poutu Dam then this would add twenty km of trails suitable for bike trails – longer than the Tongariro River Trail. That would effectively double the existing fishing access – it would be like creating a new wilderness river of the same size as the existing opportunities. The unspoiled native bush scenery upriver is absolutely spectacular.
Bike trails: The success of so many other bike trails throughout NZ is well known by MBIE(Ministry of Everything) who funded most of them. The extension of the existing 13 km of Tongariro River Trail is overdue. This alone would be ideal to create employment opportunities for local youth during construction and for shuttle drivers etc. when completed. At present the TRT takes much less than 2 hours. That is not long enough to qualify as sustainable tourism. Tourists staying in Turangi need a longer all-day biking experience. The extension of the existing trails would link with other existing neglected DOC managed trails in the Kaimanawas – from Tree Trunk Gorge linking with the existing DOC facilities on Kaimanawa Road – where two well-known tourist tramping tracks head off east over the Kaimanawas known as the Urchins Track and the Umukarikari Track.
The likely demand has been tested. TRM has operated a busy bike trail shuttle business for the last ten years ferrying tourists up to Tree Trunk Gorge to provide a 40-50 km (depending on the route chosen) all-day ride back to Turangi. This trail is not advertised widely and only TRM inmates are supposed to be aware of it. Many have claimed it is their best all-day bike trail experience in NZ! It is that good.
The linking of access trails in the upper Tongariro River would serve both the trout fishing industry and the expanding tourist mountain bike business. The development of the upper Tongariro River access would be a natural extension of the Tongariro River Trail.
Evidence of the demand, usually required by MBIE for any investment in tourist projects, for a remote track in the Kaimanawas has also recently been completed by Bike Taupo. They were involved in developing a new 25 km downhill trail that has just been opened further south on the Desert Road – needing a helicopter to lift bikes and riders to the top. That trail is very different – catering for extreme bikers – as the exposed tops (above the snow line) of the Kaimanawas are barren and could not compete in scenic terms, plus their access $350 cost is prohibitive to most bikers, whilst this trail would be freely available to all.
So all the boxes have been ticked…
Accommodation facilities: In addition to TRM, Turangi has ample tourist accommodation varying from lodges, motels, b&b’s, backpackers, etc. plus cafes and restaurants all anxiously waiting for the post-covid influx of more tourists. During the covid crisis, many were lost – two tackle shops, the major river rafting company, three motels (now “emergency housing”), various cafes and restaurants, etc. There are plenty of vacant shops in the mall waiting for tenants.
SUMMARY:
This “innovative tourist project” qualifies as sustainable and resilient in every way as it combines to:
(1) develop Turangi as a tourist base for Tongariro River fishing targeting anglers and recreational bikers;
(2) extend the Tongariro River Trail upriver to discover more equivalent river fishing in pristine native bush surroundings than is presently available;
(3) expand existing successful bike trails to link with other existing neglected DOC-managed trails with a loop track back on the existing Tongariro River Trail to Turangi.
(4) the innovative combination provides a variety of sustainable employment opportunities for Maori locals (The last Turangi census suggests about 65% registered as Maori) during construction and in management roles afterward.
If you would like to see this project proceeding then please email this report with your recommendation (asking why it has not been done?) to: