After rain this week, it’s tough work. What was until the weekend dry dirt is now a thick muddy sludge where each step requires effort – and balance.<\/p>\n
The rescue operation at Pukepuke Lagoon began late last week, and since then, an estimated 3000 eels have since been moved into waterways elsewhere.<\/p>\n
Iwi are calling for an investigation into how it happened.<\/p>\n
![\"Before](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4JQ4H17_Eels_lakebed_jpg.jpeg\")
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\nBefore this week’s rain the lakebed was a mass of dry dirt and dead or dying eels.
\nPhoto: Supplied\n<\/p>\n
‘An absolute tragedy’<\/p>\n
About this time of year, thousands of longfin eels – tuna – make their way to the sea before heading to the Pacific Ocean to spawn.<\/p>\n
Instead, at Pukepuke Lagoon, between Himatangi and Tangimoana, just to the west of nearby State Highway 1, they’re trapped in the mud, dying.<\/p>\n
“We’re just back to assess the lake, see what’s happening with the water levels in here and if there’s any more movement with the eels themselves,” volunteer rescuer Justin Tamihana said<\/p>\n
Tamihana, of Ng\u0101 Hap\u016b o Himatangi, comprising Ng\u0101ti R\u0101kau, Ng\u0101ti Te Au and Ng\u0101ti T\u016branga, is one of about a dozen people at the lake when RNZ visited this week.<\/p>\n
![\"Justin](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4JQ6RBH_Eeel_Jamie_Tamihana_JPG.jpeg\")
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\nJustin Tamihana looks over the lakebed in search of eels.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Jimmy Ellingham\n<\/p>\n
At the weekend, about 40 people responded to the call for help to save as many eels as possible after the Department of Conservation notified local iwi about what had happened.<\/p>\n
The lake is on conservation land, where the rescue work is still going on and could do for some days.<\/p>\n
“Part of the process today is trying to recover as many live tuna as we can locate and just getting them to a safer place to release and prolong their life,” Tamihana said, as he held two live tuna in a plastic bucket, while scouring the approximately 15 hectares of lake bed.<\/p>\n
“We’re just concerned about the multi-generational loss of tuna in here. We have found tuna of all sizes, from large adults right down to the very smallest juveniles.”<\/p>\n
They were caked in mud when Tamihana pulled them free, and showing only faint flickers of life, but seemed to improve when he washed off the mud in a puddle.<\/p>\n
Tiana Meroiti also found a live eel.<\/p>\n
“Luckily, it was still moving. We will relocate it to a better spot. I’m not too sure where we’ll end up putting it, but just somewhere obviously better than here.”<\/p>\n
![\"Birds](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4JQ6QQC_Eel_fish_JPG.jpeg\")
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\nBirds have been picking at the dead eels and dead fish.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Jimmy Ellingham\n<\/p>\n
The area is littered with hundreds of dead eels and dead fish, which birds are picking over.<\/p>\n
Tamihana said it was a devastating sight.<\/p>\n
“I’m a customary fisherman and so this for me is gutting. I’m actively out there fishing every year.<\/p>\n
“It’s a huge sense of loss. For those that have been raised out here and been a part of the lake this is a tragedy, an absolute tragedy,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Standing here looking around me right now there’s probably 100 dead ones [eels] and it doesn’t include what you can’t see under the ground.<\/p>\n
“When we were removing tuna from under the soil we were finding both live and dead tuna together under the ground, and a lot of tuna seemed to have lost their natural protection of their layer of slime, which is really bad.”<\/p>\n
![\"Pahia](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4JQ6P0A_Eel_Pahia_and_Hayden_JPG.jpeg\")
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\nPahia Turia and Hayden Turoa say an investigation is needed to understand what’s happened.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Jimmy Ellingham\n<\/p>\n
Rescues still the focus<\/p>\n
Hayden Turoa, also of Ng\u0101 Hap\u0101 o Himatangi, said the rescue work wasn’t over, although it was likely the population of k\u0101kahi – freshwater mussels – was wiped out.<\/p>\n
“All of our iwi had a strong response, and showed up in force and done as best as we could to look after it.<\/p>\n
“The priority is still focusing on loss of life. At this point we don’t know what’s gone on.”<\/p>\n
Turoa and chairman of Te R\u016bnanga o Ng\u0101 Wairiki Ng\u0101ti Apa Pahia Turia are hoping an investigation will find the cause of the water draining, and ways to improve the lake’s health.<\/p>\n
A report by a consultant for DOC in 2018 said the lake dried out about once a decade on average, but didn’t provide further information.<\/p>\n
Turia said he doubted it was simply a natural occurrence after a dry period, due to the changes down the years in surrounding land.<\/p>\n
“We’re guessing the lake was probably empty for at least a week.<\/p>\n
“I think if it had gone any longer then we probably wouldn’t have got any of them [eels]. Let’s just hope that we can try and find out what’s actually happened here.”<\/p>\n
![\"Hundreds](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/4JQ6RCF_Eel_dead_2_JPG.jpeg\")
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\nHundreds of dead eels are lying on the lake, some floating in puddles formed from this week’s rain.
\nPhoto: RNZ \/ Jimmy Ellingham\n<\/p>\n
Council staff notice low water levels in area<\/p>\n
Horizons Regional Council chief executive Michael McCartney said officials acknowledged the impact.<\/p>\n
“Situations like these are confronting, and the harm to taonga species is something none of us want to see.”<\/p>\n
Horizons staff discovered the situation on Thursday and while the rescue operation was iwi led, council staff were at the site to try to work out what happened.<\/p>\n
“This includes investigating a weir in the area, which is important to maintain the water level. Staff found no signs of the weir being tampered with.<\/p>\n
“Horizons staff have noted the coastal area along the west coast of the Horizons Region has been drying out during the past few months.<\/p>\n
“Field staff have noticed several other lakes, such as Lake Dudding and Lake Herbert, have been very low.”<\/p>\n
McCartney said council staff were gathering information on the historical regularity of such situations, as well as about conditions in the lead up to this month.<\/p>\n
DOC operations manager for Manawat\u016b, Moana Smith-Dunlop, said: “Our immediate collective priority is to protect and care for surviving tuna and other wildlife to the greatest extent possible.<\/p>\n
“DOC will continue to work in partnership with iwi and agencies, providing technical advice, logistical support, and fulfilling its statutory responsibilities.”<\/p>\n