Protection for river critical to wineries

Hawke’s Bay’s wine industry is welcoming Fish & Game NZ’s application for a conservation order to protect the waters of the Ngaruroro River. The application was lodged this week by Fish & Game on behalf of Forest and Bird, Jet Boating NZ, Whitewater NZ and iwi group Ngati Hori ki Kohupatiki. If granted, a water conservation order (WCO) would protect the upper Ngaruroro catchment above Whanawhana in its near-natural state.