National News & Information > Fish and Game licences FAQ

Fish and Game licences FAQ

Q: What types of fishing licences are there? What do they cost?

A: Fish Licence Types and Prices

Fishing Whole Season Adult $ 105.00

Fishing Whole Season Junior $ 21.00

Fishing Whole Season Family $ 137.00

Fishing Winter Season Adult $ 63.00

Fishing Winter Season Junior $ 13.00

Fishing 24 Hour Adult $ 21.00

Fishing 24 Hour Junior $ 4.00

Fishing Whole Season Child [free]

Fishing Winter Season Child [free]

Fishing 24 Hour Child [free]

Fishing Backcountry Licence and Controlled Fishery Licence [free] (See below for information)

Please note: there is a $5 booking fee for call centre licence applications

Q: How old do you have to be to purchase an "adult" or "junior" licence?

A: Adults: 18yrs + on 1/10/2009

Junior: 12 - 17yrs on 1/10/2009

Family: 2 adults and up to 5 children.

Q: Who can use a family licence?

A: The family licence is to encourage family participation in fishing.  The licence allows 1 person (the primary licence holder), or 1 person and that person's spouse or partner (the secondary licence holder) and their children or grandchildren who are under 18 years of age on 1 October to fish together.  The secondary licence holder may take the children named on the licence fishing without the primary holder being present.  However, only the primary licence holder may use this licence to fish independently.  If family participants, including the secondary licence holder, wish to fish independently they will require a separate licence.

Q: What are the winter fishing season dates?

A: The winter fishing season starts on 1 April and lasts until 30 September.

Q: Who do I contact if I want to fish in the Taupo (Lake Taupo) Fishing District?

A: Contact the Department of Conservation Turangi Office - 07 386 8607. Taupo fishing licences are available from sports shops in the Taupo area.

Q: How do I obtain a Backcountry Licence

A: The backcountry fisheries licence is effectively an endorsement on a whole season licence. Once endorsed, a whole season licence holder could use the Backcountry Fisheries Licence in Otago' and Wellington back country fishery catchments, subject to the regulations that apply in each area. Anglers are required to hold a Backcountry Licence when fishing on the Greenstone, Caples, upper Lochy Rivers, the Dingle Burn and Nevis Rivers in Otago and upper Rangitikei in Wellington.
There is no extra charge but you do need to register to provide Fish and Game with a full list of backcountry fishery users and to enable it to monitor angler use on those fisheries. This requires anglers to apply to the Otago  or Wellington Fish and Game Council to have his or her licence endorsed as a backcountry licence.

If you want to obtain a Backcountry Licence over the internet go to the Otago or Wellington pages of the Fish and Game New Zealand website www.fishandgame.org.nz

Anglers must hold a Backcountry Licence in order to apply for a Controlled Fishery Licence (see below). Enquiries about Otago Backcountry or Controlled Fishery Licences should be directed to s.kyle@fish-game.org.nz or (03) 4779076 (Otago) . Enquiries about Wellington Backcountry Fishery licences should be directed to s.wray@fishandgame.org.nz or (06) 3590409.

Q: Where can I go fishing with a backcountry licence?

A: The backcountry river fisheries covered by this endorsement are the Greenstone, Caples, upper Lochy Rivers, the Dingle Burn and Nevis Rivers in Otago and the upper Rangitikei in Wellington. A backcountry licence is not required for any other catchments.

Q: Where can I go fishing with a controlled fishery licence?

A: A Controlled Fishery Licence is required to fish on the Upper Greenstone River in Otago during the period between 1st February and 31 March each year. Angling opportunity is limited during that time so that anglers can have a reach of the river or ‘beat’ to themselves for a one or two day period. The aim of this restriction is to preserve the quality of angling experience by limiting angler density. Licences are obtainable through an online booking system which operates five days in advance.A back country endorsement is required to enter the online booking area.  Enquiries about Controlled Fishery Licences should be directed to s.kyle@fish-game.org.nz or (03) 4779076.

Q: I have lost my licence. What do I do?

A: Contact your local Fish & Game office for a replacement. They will require you to provide them with details about where and when you purchased your original licence.

Q: I bought my licence from the 0800 number and want to go fishing, but my plastic licence has not turned up yet. What should I do?

A: Take your licence number and a photo ID with you when you go fishing. This will enable a ranger to positively identify you and cross check your licence number with our records system.

Q: It’s been over 10 days since I ordered my licence and it has not arrived yet.

A: If your licence hasn't arrived after 10 days from your issue date, please contact mailto:fishandgame@eyede.com

Q: What do I do if I want to upgrade my licence from a Whole Season Licence to a Family Licence?

A: You will only be able to upgrade your fishing licence if the original licence purchased is still in the book at the Retailer’s store. You can then take your licence to the retailer and they will upgrade your licence for you.

The local Fish and Game office is unable to upgrade your licence if you have purchased it from a retailer.

If you have purchased your licence over the internet you can only upgrade within a month of purchasing your licence. Contact the Fish and Game licence administrator on mailto:fishandgame@eyede.com Please note: there is a $5.00 fee for plastic licence replacements.

Q: When I click on the back button I go back to the Fish & Game website instead of the previous page. Why?

A: There is no back button function in the system because security and data integrity could be compromised.

Q: The system doesn’t seem to be working properly. After filling out my customer details and clicking ‘Buy a Fishing Licence’ I am taken back to the Terms and Conditions page.

A: This problem might be occurring if you are using an old version of the Internet Explorer. (Versions 5.5 and higher should be fine.) Try upgrading your browser. Another recommended option would be installing a Mozilla Firefox browser, which also provides better security, and it’s free! To download Mozilla Firefox, go to www.mozilla.org. Failing that please contact the Fish and Game licence administrator for assistance on mailto:fishandgame@eyede.com, or phone 0800 542 3623.

Q:  Do you need a licence for each different region?

A: Sports fishing and game hunting licences are valid for use throughout the country (except in the Chatham Islands and for fishing in the Taupo Fishing District).

When buying a licence from a retail outlet or Fish & Game Council office the licence is automatically recorded as a licence sold within that region. If you indicate on the licence that you wish to register as an elector for Fish & Game Council elections then you will be put on the electoral roll for the region where you purchased the licence unless you request to be registered on another region’s electoral roll.  If you purchased online through the internet, by mail order or the 0800 service, you need to specify the region that reflects your main area of use, and/or the one in which you wish to register as an elector for Fish & Game Council elections.

The importance of nominating a region, and/or the implications of getting your licence in a particular region also mean that you receive regional newsletters, email reports and other local information from that specific region.

For more information please contact your local Fish & Game office or the New Zealand Council on (04) 499 4767 or fax (04) 499 4768