Elver trap and transfer

Local Ngai Tahu work with Meridian staff on an elver and migratory eel trap and transfer programs in the waters surrounding our Manapouri and Waitaki Scheme hydro dams.

By transferring the elver into the dam head-waters, and the migrating adults back downstream, their migratory patterns can continue, ensuring this precious species is here in years to come.

About the Longfin Eel

The longfin eel is the largest and longest-living freshwater eel in the world, and is found only in New Zealand.

Female longfins can live for over 100 years in our freshwater rivers and lakes, before migrating with the males to deep-sea trenches in the Pacific Ocean up to 6000km off our coastline.

After mating they release millions of eggs, leaving their offspring to float back to the coast on ocean currents. The elver (young eels) then swim back upstream to live in freshwater rivers and lakes.

The eels and elvers face numerous obstacles on this long migratory journey, including man-made structures such as dams.