Success at the Rosemergy Catfish Cull

The 2025 Rosemergy Catfish Cull proved to be a great success, showcasing both the community’s dedication to conservation and the event’s effectiveness in protecting Lake Taupō’s ecosystem. We had a huge amount of support from our sponsor Hunting and Fishing New Zealand, Fly & Gun, Taupō.

With a remarkable turnout of 224 entrants, this year’s competition saw an increase in its boundaries, extending throughout the entire lake, excluding river mouths and the main area of Taupō township.

In the competition we had 6 different categories, Opens, Womans, Juniors, Tripples, mixed, and Junior/Adults with the following results:

• Rowan Virbickas & Joseph Gundesen won the Opens with 97 fish.
  Laura Kuggeleijn and Jacky Edwards won the Women's category with 34 fish.
  Bevan Van der Put and Jack Staples won the Juniors category with 28 fish.
  Andrew Ferry, Ryan Ferry and Dion Dempsey won the Tripples category with 28 fish
  Ben Laurie and Emily Stringer won the Mixed pairs with 58 catfish
• Kona Teu & Manaia Teu won the Junior/Adult category with 12 fish.

Thanks to our competitors and hard work of everyone involved, the cull resulted in the removal of 1,153 catfish from the lake. This significant achievement is crucial in preserving the delicate balance of Lake Taupo’s aquatic environment. Catfish, known for their impact on native species and the lake’s water quality, are a major threat to local biodiversity, and efforts like the Rosemergy Cull are vital in combating their spread.

Thank you to Hunting and Fishing New Zealand, Fly & Gun, Taupō, Tuwharetoa, The Department of Conservation, The Motuoapa Fishing Club and to all who attended the event.