Tomahawk Lagoon Update.

Upper Catchment Survey at Tomahawk Lagoon.

Last fortnight's monitoring session at Tomahawk Lagoon, shifting to a new sampling site further up the catchment.

During the assessment, the group successfully identified nine common bullies (Gobiomorphus cotidianus) in the sampling nets. Common bullies are native New Zealand freshwater fish and key indicators of aquatic ecosystem health. Their presence upstream provides valuable baseline data regarding native species distribution and habitat viability across different sections of the lagoon’s waterway.

A notable contribution to the day's yield came from Eve, who spent two minutes actively churning the water upstream of the net. This effort—known as kick-sampling—dislodged organisms from the substrate, helping ensure the sample accurately represented the aquatic life in the area.

Data from these ongoing student-led testing sessions directly contributes to tracking the ecological health of the Tomahawk Lagoon catchment.

It was great to return to this site and see how well the native plants have grown this year despite the flooding. We're scheduling another planting day for early next year.