Fishing Licence Info

Fish Licence Types and Prices

Fishing Whole Season Adult: $ 120.00
Fishing Whole Season Junior: $ 24.00
Fishing Whole Season Family: $ 156.00
Fishing Whole Season Child [free]

Fishing Winter Season Adult: $ 72.00
Fishing Winter Season Junior: $ 14.00
Fishing Winter Season Child: [free]

Fishing 24 Hour Adult: $ 23.00
Fishing 24 Hour Junior $ 7.00
Fishing 24 Hour Child [free]

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

Please note: there is a $5 booking fee for call centre licence applications if you use the 0800 service (0800 LICENCE or 0800 542 362). This service is available during normal work hours.

Adults: 18yrs + on 1/10/2012

Junior: 12 - 17yrs on 1/10/2012

Family: 2 adults and up to 4 children.

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, Nevis River, Hunter River, Young River and Wilkin River in Otago, the Ettrick Burn in Southland and upper Rangitikei in Wellington. There is no extra charge but you do need to register to provide Fish & 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, Southland 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, Southland or Wellington pages of this website.

Anglers must hold a Backcountry Licence in order to apply for a Controlled Fishery Licence (see separate FAQ question).

Enquiries about Otago Backcountry or Controlled Fishery licences should be directed to s.milne@fish-game.org.nz or (03) 4779076.

Enquiries about Southland Backcountry or Controlled Fishery licences should be directed to southland@fishandgame.org.nz or (03) 2159117.

Enquiries about Wellington Backcountry Fishery licences should be directed to swray@fishandgame.org.nz or (06) 3590409.

A Controlled Fishery Licence is required to fish on the Upper Greenstone River (and its tributary streams) in Otago during the period between 1st February and 31 March.

A Controlled Fishery Licence is required to fish the Ettrick Burn during the period between 1 November and 31 May.

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.milne@fish-game.org.nz or (03) 4779076 for Otago or southland@fishandgame.org.nz or (03) 2159117 for Southland.

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 & 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 fishandgame@eyede.com.

Please note: There is a $5.00 fee for plastic licence replacements.

Sports Fish: The Freshwater Fisheries Regulations 1983 Schedule 1 defines the following species as “sports fish”:

• Brown trout (Salmo trutta):
• Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, formerly known as Salmo gairdneri):
• American brook trout or char (Salvelinus fontinalis):
• Lake trout or char (Salvelinus namaycush):
• Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar):
• Quinnat or chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha):
• Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka):
• Perch (Perca fluviatilis):
• Tench (Tinca tinca):
• Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) found or taken in the Auckland Acclimatisation District—

and includes any hybrid and the young, fry, ova, and spawn, and any part of any such fish; but does not include salmon preserved in cans and imported into New Zealand.

If your licence hasn't arrived after 10 days from your issue date, please contact fishandgame@eyede.co.nz

The licence fees are primarily charged to cover the cost of managing the fish and birds and the habitat they depend on. The provision of services to anglers and hunters and advocating their interests is also included in the licence fee.

Licence fees were originally spent on increasing fish and bird populations. The priority changed in the 1960’s and became focused on protecting important habitat against development, both in the rural sector and through industry. It was quickly realised that quality habitat produces good numbers of sports fish and game birds.

Habitat advocacy remains the major focus of Fish and Game Councils and a significant percentage of the councils’ money goes into advocating habitat protection. Over the last five or six years an emphasis has also been placed on providing better information and services to anglers and hunters and advocating their interests to the wider community.

About 17% of Fish & Game New Zealand’s $6 million budget is spent on habitat protection. This includes protection and management of land we own as well as land owned by the public. We advocate habitat protection through the Resource Management Act and through water conservation orders. Of the 25 water conservation orders taken out in this country 19 have been promoted by Fish & Game New Zealand or the former Acclimatisation Societies. Fish & Game New Zealand spent $150,000 to ensure the Buller River was granted a water conservation order.

15% of the budget is spent on providing services to anglers and hunters. This includes providing general fishing and hunting information, sign posting, and negotiating access opportunities.

8% is spent on community liaison which is becoming a more important function. It is vital that Fish and Game New Zealand staff spend time talking to the wider community and seek their understanding and support for the work we do and the sports we undertake.

7% is spent on compliance. This does not reflect the true cost of compliance because Fish and Game New Zealand use honorary rangers who give their time free of charge to help and maintain the angling and hunting regulations. It often costs Fish and Game New Zealand more money to prosecute people than is recovered because the fines that are retrieved rarely cover our legal costs.

The cost of licensing is about 12% of the budget. It costs Fish & Game New Zealand $5 for every licence we sell and this includes the production of the licence and the guide books we give out. We also provide a commission to licence agents.

The cost of running Fish & Game Councils is around 7% of the overall budget. This includes the cost of meetings and the large amount of staff time involved.

About 10% of the Fish & Game New Zealand budget is spent on planning and financial reporting.

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

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.

Sports Fish: The Freshwater Fisheries Regulations 1983 Schedule 1 defines the following species as “sports fish”:

• Brown trout (Salmo trutta):
• Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, formerly known as Salmo gairdneri):
• American brook trout or char (Salvelinus fontinalis):
• Lake trout or char (Salvelinus namaycush):
• Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar):
• Quinnat or chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha):
• Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka):
• Perch (Perca fluviatilis):
• Tench (Tinca tinca):
• Rudd (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) found or taken in the Auckland Acclimatisation District—

and includes any hybrid and the young, fry, ova, and spawn, and any part of any such fish; but does not include salmon preserved in cans and imported into New Zealand.

Game Birds: The Wildlife Act 1953 schedule 1 defines the following species as wildlife declared to be game birds:

• Black swan (Cygnus atratus) (except on Chatham Islands)
• Chukar (Alectoris chukar): except on Chatham Islands
• Duck:
  • Australasian shoveler (Anas rhynchotis)
  • Grey duck (Anas superciliosa) and any cross of that species with any other species, variety, or kind of duck (except on Chatham Islands).
  • Mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and any cross of that species with any other species, variety, or kind of duck (except on Chatham Islands).
• Paradise shelduck (Tadorna variegata)
• Partridge:
  • Grey partridge (Perdix perdix): except on Chatham Islands
  • Red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa rufa): except on Chatham Islands
  • Pheasant—
    • any bird, not being a domestic bird, of the genus Phasianus and any cross of any such bird with any other species, variety, or kind of pheasant: except on Chatham Islands
  • Pukeko (Porphyrio melanotus) (except on Chatham Islands).
  • Quail—
    • Bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus): except on Chatham Islands
    • Brown quail (Coturnix ypsilophora): except on Chatham Islands
    • California quail (Callipepla californica): except on Chatham Islands

You can purchase your licence in several ways:

• Online: by visiting our online licence system
• By phone: Call our freephone licence number (0800 542 362)
• In person: Visit any Fish & Game office or regional licence agent (view your local region's pages using the map above to find address and contact details of local licence agents).

New Zealand has an unique system in the world where anglers and hunters can have a voice on how the sports fisheries and game bird resources are managed. It is an historical and popular system of users paying for, and holding a governance role over, the management of the resource they enjoy, which dates back over 100 years.

Fish & Game Councils are independent bodies elected every three years by holders of current adult whole season game bird and freshwater fishing licences. Councils set the outcomes that they wish their staff to achieve. Councillors govern the organisation and democratically define priorities for operational work undertaken by staff.

Become an elector, or put your name forward to stand as a councillor.

The next election is in November 2015 so to be able to vote and/or stand as a candidate in that election you need to register your intention and enrol – by purchasing an adult whole season licence (or primary holder of family licence) for the 2014/15 fishing season or a game adult whole season licence for the 2015 game season and noting your wish when filling in the licence details.

Each of the 12 Fish & Game Councils have details of fishing and hunting locations in their region, along with access information and maps.

Much of this information can be located by visiting the various regions homepages on this website. To do this click on your region of interest on the clickable map at the top-right of every page.

More general 'where to'information can also be found on our Where To Fish and Where To Hunt Game Birds pages.

You can also find out more on our mini-website www.fishaway.co.nz

The issues around felt soles, their ability to carry live didymo for extended lengths of time, and the difficulty in cleaning them thoroughly, have been widely and publicly discussed over the past two years. The issue of felt soles as a high risk vector for aquatic pests has had wide coverage in angling media over that period. This has included articles in past Fish & Game magazines, and the 2007 fishing regulations advising anglers against the difficulty of cleaning felt soled waders and encouraging the use of alternative footwear.

The proposal to restrict the use of felt soles underwent a consultation process over April and May this year, with the proposal and discussion document distributed to key stakeholder agencies and made available on the Fish & Game website. In addition the issue was covered in the electronic magazine Reel Life to some 47,000 subscribers. It is not possible to consult every angler on an individual basis.

This is similar to saying laws about wearing seatbelts mean people drive less safely. The Check, Clean, Dry message, and other good river hygiene practices will continue to be promoted by a range of agencies.

Fish & Game New Zealand believes the proposed restrictions will heighten people’s awareness of the serious need for them to take responsibility for our waterways.

Fish & Game New Zealand is not responsible for, and does not have the ability to manage the behaviour of other freshwater users or the equipment they use. The evidence for the spread of didymo points to anglers as being one of the likely carriers.

Fish & Game New Zealand wants to be responsible and set an example in protecting our waterways. It encourages other sectors to look at ways they can improve their own performance to protect the quality of our freshwater.

It is true, there are many other porous carriers used by recreational water users, from clothing to ropes and other recreational equipment. Felt soles present a particular challenge in that they are thick and make an ideal trap for microscopic cells like didymo, which are forced deep into the soles when walking in affected waterways.

However, people must continue to clean any of their gear which has been used in a natural freshwater body. Any clothing or other gear which remains damp and is not cleaned is a risk.

Although there remain hundreds of waterways still didymo free, it is in New Zealand’s best interests for everyone to treat every waterway as though it is infected with didymo. It is important that anglers and all other water users Check, Clean, Dry gear when going from one waterway to another, everywhere in New Zealand.

A scientific model produced by NIWA shows that 73% of the most likely New Zealand rivers for the establishment of didymo are in the South Island. Although there is no evidence yet of any spread of didymo to the North Island, rivers within the central North Island in particular could become affected.

A high risk carrier of microscopic aquatic organisms like didymo does not allow time for a phase in process. It may already be in rivers we are unaware of, and could just as easily be transported to others during a phase in period. Restricting the use of felt-soled waders in New Zealand freshwater environments would immediately remove this high risk.

Applying the restriction in one island and not the other is not realistic. Protection is about looking after all of our waterways. It is true that to date didymo has not been detected in the North Island. However many anglers fish on both islands and people still need to check, clean, dry their gear to reduce the risk of rivers becoming affected.

Similarly, Fish & Game New Zealand supports MAF Biosecurity New Zealand and the Department of Conservation in protecting high-value sites. However, it does not consider these actions to be enough.

Felt-soled waders provide greater confidence to the user on wet and slippery stony rivers. However, in practice they may also encourage the wearer to go ‘just that little bit further’ and extend the limit of their self-confidence.

The advantage of felt quickly disappears as the felt ages and unless replaced regularly will not grip as well as a non-slip rubber sole with similar wear. Felt soles are also less safe on wet grass and muddy banks.

Ultimately, we are all responsible for our own safety and make judgements accordingly all the time. New Zealand waterways present many dangers and we must all take care getting to, fishing in, or crossing our rivers.

All footwear has limitations and it has never been possible to wade safely in all parts of all rivers. Using river crossing techniques including the aid of a wading stick can reduce the danger, but no crossing can be considered absolutely safe.

Water Safety New Zealand and its partner ACC have developed a range of RiverSafe initiatives to provide education, training and development and to actively promote water safety awareness in and around our rivers.

There is a range of alternative wading equipment available, and it is not Fish & Game’s role to advise on brands.

The Fish & Game magazine and other angling media contain advertisements for aquatic footwear. Many of today’s sandals and recreational footwear are able to be used in water situations.

It is also possible to re-sole old felt soled boots or have the gumboot part of old waders replaced.

Costs will clearly vary depending on the option and the number of boots involved. These options are best explored by contacting a local hunting and fishing store, shoe shop or boot maker or finding information on this on the internet.

Didymo has been declared an unwanted organism under the Biosecurity Act 1993. It is an offence under this Act to spread an unwanted organism, with penalties of up to 5 years imprisonment and/or a fine of up to $100,000.

Anglers are subject to compliance checks by Fish & Game rangers. The use of felt soles for sports fishing will be an offence under the ‘using unauthorised tackle or gear’ category of the Anglers Notice.

As from 1 October 2008, the same restriction will apply for all freshwater sports fishing in New Zealand, including the Taupo Fishing District. Click on the following link for more information about the Taupo Fishery.

Felt soled waders may be brought into the country. This is a separate issue from restricting the use of felt soles while fishing.

Advice from MAF Biosecurity New Zealand is that currently staff at the borders are able to confiscate waders or other fishing equipment if they suspect they are not completely dry. Click the following link to read more information on the Biosecurity New Zealand website. 

HOWEVER, Fish & Game New Zealand would encourage visiting anglers to leave their felt soled waders at home and not bring them into New Zealand. It would also ask visiting anglers to check, clean, dry all fishing equipment before arriving in this country.

Restricting the use of felt soles does not mean we can all relax. Fish & Game New Zealand acknowledges and understands that there are many other carriers, but believes the risk is effectively reduce by restricting the use of felt soles for sports fishing.

This process does not mean Fish & Game thinks this will control the spread of didymo. It is as important now as it was yesterday that all freshwater users continue to apply the practice of check, clean, dry.

For further information and research on didymo and felt soles, see the Biosecurity New Zealand (BNZ) website, and specifically this Didymo Research Document for information of the survival of didymo in felt soles. BNZ also have an excellent Freshwater Angler and Didymo FAQ site.

Game Birds: The Wildlife Act 1953 schedule 1 defines the following species as wildlife declared to be game birds:

• Black swan (Cygnus atratus) (except on Chatham Islands)
• Chukar (Alectoris chukar): except on Chatham Islands
• Duck:
  • Australasian shoveler (Anas rhynchotis)
  • Grey duck (Anas superciliosa) and any cross of that species with any other species, variety, or kind of duck (except on Chatham Islands).
  • Mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and any cross of that species with any other species, variety, or kind of duck (except on Chatham Islands).
• Paradise shelduck (Tadorna variegata)
• Partridge:
  • Grey partridge (Perdix perdix): except on Chatham Islands
  • Red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa rufa): except on Chatham Islands
  • Pheasant—
    • any bird, not being a domestic bird, of the genus Phasianus and any cross of any such bird with any other species, variety, or kind of pheasant: except on Chatham Islands
  • Pukeko (Porphyrio melanotus) (except on Chatham Islands).
  • Quail—
    • Bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus): except on Chatham Islands
    • Brown quail (Coturnix ypsilophora): except on Chatham Islands
    • California quail (Callipepla californica): except on Chatham Islands