Eastern Fish & Game council elections: Murray Ferris and Mark Sceats retain seats

A Fish & Game NZ volunteer releases two banded ducks. Photo / Grant Dyson, Fish & Game NZ

An upcoming Fish & Game NZ review and a passion for hunting and fishing were some of the motivations for two Gisborne men to seek re-election and retain their seats on the Eastern Fish & Game council.

Eastern is one of Fish & Game NZ’s 12 regional councils responsible for overseeing the effective management of the country’s sports fish and game resources.

Mark Sceats has just completed his first three-year term representing the East Coast sub-region of the Eastern council while Murray Ferris has been involved for several terms.

Ferris is a previous chair while Sceats has been serving as chair for the past year following the resignation of his predecessor.

“I’m chairman for the time being ... until our meeting next week to see whether I’m re-elected or not,” Sceats said.

“We have the mandate to manage basically the freshwater fishery, which is the trout fishery and salmon fishery in New Zealand, and to manage and enhance game bird resources. We basically look after the duck shooters.”

Sceats said they maintain those resources for licence holders and advocate on their behalf.

The East Coast subregion was helping the Waikaremoana Boating and Fishing Association to install a safety beacon on the lake.

Ferris said he had been on the council for about six terms.

“I’m going to put my feet up after this term.”

Fish & Game NZ was about to undergo a review, and he wanted to be involved.

There was a lot of hard work serving on the council in a dynamic environment concerning the availability of game, Ferris said.

Ducks were captured and had numbered bands attached to their legs around January and February which helped the council to monitor populations and determine bag limits and season length.

If a lot of juveniles and females have been banded – “it’s been a good breeding season”, said Ferris.

“If there’s not, it hasn’t been ... It’s that scientific.”

Ferris said trout naturally spawned in the region so there was no need to release trout.

There had been many severe weather events in recent years, but trout had proved to be very resilient.

Sceats said council members had a great passion for fishing and hunting and wanted to promote sustainability, best practice and “putting food on the table”.