A clean-up of the Motueka River found not one, but two mattresses, hundreds of bottles and cans, a lawnmower, and two devices used for smoking cannabis.
The clean-up, organised by Fish & Game, saw members of the Nelson Trout Fishing Club join in to clear rubbish from public access points and picnic areas from the Baton Bridge to the sea.
Fish & Game Nelson’s Jacob Lucas says there are about 20 ‘official’ angler points within that area, but other areas, including grass verges and roadsides, were tidied too.
“We covered both sides of the river, from the Baton Bridge to the lowest bridge at Motueka township.”
He says a large trailer load of rubbish was removed with about 20 large bags of rubbish, hundreds of bottles and cans, car parts, two mattresses, and the lawnmower contributing to the pile.
“Anglers value our rivers and lakes, and the Motueka River is one of the region's most iconic and popular fisheries, so this was just a small gesture by anglers to help keep the Motueka Valley looking great,” Jacob says.
The team hopes to return when the river flow is lower and remove occasional baleage wrapping that is hung up in trees following large floods in recent years.
