Fishing for fun under pressure, 'needs to change' urges NZ Initiative think tank and Fish & Game

Tourism and a population boom is putting pressure on our recreational fishing, charges the New Zealand Initiative. Photo / Paul Taylor

Recreational fishermen are being urged to embrace a licensing fee, to protect the pass-time New Zealanders love.

The New Zealand Initiative has just released its report, The Future Catch: Preserving Fisheries for the Next Generation.

It said recreational fishing management was being ignored, while pressure piled on from our climbing population and tourism boom.

Report author Dr Randall Bess said there was no point sticking with the same approach we'd used for decades.

"A generation ago, the population was close to half the size it is now.

"In another generation from now, Statistics New Zealand estimates we'll have grown by another third."

NZI looked overseas for inspiration on how to tackle the problem, and decided Western Australia had struck the right balance.

"We were particularly interested in the high level of public trust and confidence in Western Australia in the way recreational fisheries are managed, despite the severe restrictions on recreational fishing access and fishers needing to pay licence fees," the report said.

"We found that these fees are supported because they are used to fund sector-level representation and projects and research that benefit recreational fishing."

Bess said that type of management and research was needed in New Zealand, as well as for someone to pay for it.

He acknowledged that fishing licences might not be a popular idea, so they'd come up with three options for funding.

The first was to funnel the petrol taxes paid by boaties, away from roading projects and into recreational fishing.

The second was for recreational fishers to pay an annual licence fee of between $10 and $20.

The last was for recreational boats to pay an annual licence fee, also of between $10 and $20.

Bess said he expected pushback on the idea of a licence, but hoped fishers would see the benefits outweighed the low cost.

"I think we've reached the point where we realise there's a responsibility as a resource user to give something towards it.

"I mean, we're not talking about a lot of money, $10 or $20 a year.

"Collectively, that can make a big difference in terms of improving fisheries for a long time."

But the Ministry of Primary Industries is totally ruling out bringing in a licence system for recreational fishers.

Fisheries Management Director Dave Turner acknowledged there were pressures, but said licensing wasn't the way to solve them.

"We are not going down the road of licensing in New Zealand. It's not going to happen.

"Absolutely [rule that out]. It's off the table."

He said it wasn't for Government to dictate how recreational fishing was managed, and he'd prefer fishers come to MPI with their own solution.

"New Zealanders love to fish, it's part of our culture, so as the population increases obviously there will be pressures on the system.

"But we're working hard across all sectors to make sure we have sustainable shared fisheries for the future."

New Zealand Fish and Game Council spokesman Don Rood believed pressure was increasing on recreational fishing, and something needed to change.

He said licensing was already required for freshwater sports fishing, and suggested that model could be applied to other recreational fishers.

"But that's probably a slightly different kettle of fish to marine fishing. There's a long established tradition of people being able to gather kai moana for the table.

"I think the biggest hurdle is getting people to face up to what is happening to the marine catch."

NZI is now beginning consultation on the report with local fishing clubs and iwi.

Pay to fish

• A licence for recreational fishers could be paid by:

• Taxes levied on fuel used by boaties.

• Annual fee of $10 to $20 paid by fishers.

• Fee levied on boats of $10 to $20.