READ MORE:* Canterbury mudfish might block Bathurst coal mine* Bathurst Coal buys land to expand mining for dairy factories* Gold and silver found on conservation land in Coromandel* South Canterbury school battles to protect endangered mudfish* Efforts to save Canterbury mudfish include using 'electric fish-fence'The company wants to mine the land, which is several kilometres from its existing open-cast coal mine. When the decision was announced, there were concerns about the potential effect on the Canterbury mudfish, one of New Zealand's most endangered native species, which is restricted to a small number of streams in Canterbury. A 2018 report on New Zealand's native fish said "urgent action to protect Canterbury mudfish habitat is needed to avert its extinction" and noted its "persistence is now tenuous". SUPPLIED The highly endangered Canterbury mudfish is only found in 16 locations, all within Canterbury. It "constitutes a high proportion of Canterbury mudfish habitat", a DOC science advisor wrote, adding that "[f]urther loss of Canterbury mudfish habitat is unacceptable".

Source: Stuff November 04, 2019 04:07 UTC