More New Zealand waterways under threat from farming

[Flycasta]

Controversy has erupted over a herd of cows being allowed access to a New Zealand high country lake which contains a trout fishery. The incident has become big news Down Under because the cows were pastured on a farm owned by New Zealand's Supreme Court Chief Justice. This has attracted a lot of adverse comment.

The story can be found at http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/nation...tions-disaster'

and

http://www.kiwiblog.co.nz/2016/01/ch...g_the_law.html

The responsible authorities let the Chief Justice off with a warning. But this sort of farm practice is widespread in NZ, which is why our rivers are under such stress.

[Byron haugh]

Any word on the recent earthquake there?

[Flycasta]

Any word on the recent earthquake there?

No lives lost as far as I know, but the locals were totally unnerved by the latest earthquake. It had its genesis somewhere out on the offshore seabed and took the scientists by surprise.

The New Zealand government's latest effort at a coordinated water resource management plan is very much slanted in favour of big farming. The media release from NZ Fish & Game is available on the link below:

http://www.fishandgame.org.nz/newsit...-water-quality

The NZ Prime Minister is an ex-Merrill Lynch money trader reputedly worth $NZ80 million. The Deputy Prime Minister is a farmer. I leave you to judge whether people of that kind want to hand on a clean environment to future generations.