An influx of “bait fish” in Nelson Haven is believed to be behind the massive number of birds and fish around the Rocks Rd waterfront in the past few days.
Yesterday afternoon around 100 people were spotted fishing, according to one Weekly reader, who phoned in saying that some were pulling in three fish at a time.
Nelson Dawnbreakers Fishing Club president Doug McKay says the fish were most likely kawhai and were in the haven to feed on bait fish. The birds would have also been attracted to the bait fish. “It happens this time of year with that many fish coming into the Haven,” says Doug. “What is unusual is to see the birds in that close and in those numbers, but it does happen.”
The birds and fish were a hot topic on Facebook too. Andrea Seymour wrote: “If Alfred Hitchcock’s classic The Birds film scared you, I would suggest avoiding Rocks Rd. I have never seen anything like it.”
