National Īnanga Spawning Programme (NISP)
Te Kura Awa (School of the River)
The National Īnanga Spawning Programme takes tamariki/rangatahi on an educational journey that highlights the importance of protecting native fish populations. Overall, native fish populations in Aotearoa , including Īnanga, are in decline due to the degradation or removal of spawning habitats. Contributing factors include farm stock damage, man-made changes to natural bank structures, sedimentation, barriers to fish migration, and mowing of vegetation on banks during the spawning season. The aim of the programme is to scale up collaborative efforts to locate, protect, and enhance Īnanga spawning habitats, alongside community engagement and capacity/capability development.
By building connections between stakeholders, catchment health can be improved through spawning habitat restoration, such as installing temporary straw bale spawning habitats, pest control, fencing out stock, riparian planting, providing advice for authorities on maintenance strategies for banks, and removing barriers to fish migration like tide gates.
NISP and Tasman Bay Guardians
National Īnanga Spawning Programme (NISP) delivered by Tasman Bay Guardians offers immersive, hands-on learning experiences protecting Īnanga spawning habitats in the Nelson Tasman region.
Whitebait Connection provides an inquiry and action-based environmental education programme for schools and communities focusing on the health of our streams, rivers and wetlands.
More Information: https://www.whitebaitconnection.co.nz/what-we-do/education/inanga-spawning.html
School Programme
STEP 1 – Classroom learning: Īnanga intro presentation, games and interactive catchment model
STEP 2 – Local stream investigation: Visit a local inanga spawning site.
STEP 3 – Gather more information: Find out more details that will help shape action project.
STEP 4 – Create an action project: Decide how the spawning site can be improved and make a plan.
Teacher Resources:
Download PDF: Full Resource Booklet (17.56 MB)
Download PDF: Full Resource Booklet in Te Reo (15.3 MB)
Tailored programmes: Needing activities to add to your school camp? Field trips to tie into Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC), science and mātauranga Māori? We are able to create a user pays or funded programme to suit your needs.
