National News & Information > What does Fish & Game NZ do?

Fish & Game New Zealand looks after the sports of freshwater fishing and gamebird hunting, and the habitats of sports fish and game birds. We are funded through the sale of fishing and hunting licences.

Everyone. People who want to go fishing or hunting must have a licence for each sport. There is no limit on the number of licences that can be sold each year, and licences are not transferable or tradeable.

In 1996 Fish & Game New Zealand sold about 100,000 fishing licences and 35,000 game bird hunting licences. A full-year fishing licence is valid for the whole country except Taupo. A full-year hunting licence is valid throughout the country.

We control the impact on stocks by setting fishing and hunting regulations. The regulations cover the length of fishing and hunting seasons, the equipment that can be used, and the number of fish or birds that can be taken in one day (the ‘bag limit’).

Regulations can vary from location to location. For example, a large river with good fish stocks can often be fished all year round and anglers can keep six fish a day, while a near-by small stream might only be open during summer with a bag limit of two.

The first stage in setting the regulations for each season begins with surveying the existing fish and bird populations. This is done by a variety of methods including aerial surveys of gamebirds, and drift dives, where divers drift down a river and count fish.

Once the population has been estimated, the staff of each Fish & Game region draft regulations for their region for the next season. The local Fish & Game Council and the Minister of Conservation must then approve these regulations. The approved regulations are published in the Gazette and various Fish & Game NZ publications.

Fish & Game NZ staff and volunteer Fish & Game rangers monitor anglers and hunters to make sure they are licenced and are not breaking the regulations. Fish & Game staff also work closely with Police to stop organised poaching rings which can destroy fragile fisheries by using nets and harpoons, and taking large numbers of trout during the breeding season.

Yes. We make a major effort to look after streams, water quality and wetlands. Much of this work is done under the Resource Management Act, through hearings with local government. This type of work includes protecting streams and rivers from development and water abstraction, ensuring water quality is protected from illegal dumping and pollution, and that wetlands are protected from drainage.

Habitat protection work is the most important part of our role. Without good habitat there can be no sports fish or game birds, and so no fish and game sports. This work also benefits anyone who values quality water and wetland environments, and the many species that use these places.

Most of the time there is no point in adding more fish or birds to an area that is already well stocked. This is a bit like having a paddock that can carry ten sheep – there is no point in adding another ten sheep unless the paddock (the habitat) is improved so it can produce twice as much feed. This is why Fish & Game NZ concentrates on habitat protection rather than stocking.

In some special cases, stocking is important. The most obvious example is the Rotorua lakes. These lakes have good quality water and food, and produce trophy-sized trout with an international reputation. But these lakes have hardly any of the swift, clear gravel streams needed for breeding. So we breed trout in a hatchery, and release young fish into the lakes, where they thrive and support a priceless fishery.

Fish & Game promotes freshwater angling and gamebird hunting by working closely with clubs to introduce people to the sports. We also provide information to sportspeople, including access brochures and signs. Fish & Game NZ regularly runs children’s fishing days, often in conjunction with local sports stores and clubs.

We also work to ensure that our licence holders have access to streams and wetlands and lobby land occupiers for access where necessary. This work can have important spin-offs for the wider public who also gain access to these areas.

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