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The Waituna Lagoon is on the southern coastline of the South Island of New Zealand. It forms part of the Awarua Wetland, a Ramsar site that was established in 1976.
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Map of Waituna Lagoon, Kapuka South 9875, New Zealand
The lagoon is an important habitat for resident and migratory birds with seventy three different species being recorded. The expansion in the area of Leptocarpus rushes that has been observed over a 47-year period in the lagoon have been attributed to artificial openings of the lagoon to the sea, and the increase in sedimentation.
The lagoon is largely unmodified by human activity but there are elevated nutrient levels and sedimentation with a fear that it may lead to eutrophication.
Recreational use
Waituna Lagoon is a common fishing and game bird hunting spot. There is a good supply of Brown Trout in the lake/lagoon and its tributaries with a daily limit of 2 trout per person per day. The fishing season runs from the 1st of October until the 30th of April.
There is a good range of game bird species, with the Mallard Duck being the primarily hunted species. Other game bird species hunted during the season include: Shoveler/Spoonbill, Canadian Geese (now classified as a pest species), Paradse Ducks and the Black Swan (not often targeted by hunters). Many families traditionally hunt the lake such as the Carleen, Hourston, Lawson, McNaughton, Perriam, Thomas, Owen, Carston and Waghorn families who either have camps or live in the area.