Voucher specimen(s) held at the NMNZ (Ref. 5755). Clandestine liberations into small lakes and dams were made. Widespread in lakes and slow flowing rivers and considered as a noxious species (Ref. 6452). Becoming widespread in North and South Is., range is expanding (Ref. 52336). Rudd were illegally imported by an aquarist in 1967 and released in many lakes and ponds in northern New Zealand. It is present, now, in still and sluggish waters in and north of the lower Waikato River valley having spread slowly in the last 20 years. A potential pest in many areas, due to consumption of native plants. Experiments demonstrated that it may be putting vulnerable aquatic communities at risk (Refs. 53840 and 53842). Also in p. 240-243 (Ref. 13730) and Ref. 11115.