Fisheries

The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC) is a recognised National Sports Organisation (NSO) with over 37,000 affiliated members from 50 clubs nationwide. This makes us the largest representative organisation specifically advocating for recreational fishing interests in Aotearoa.

Our affiliated members have an interest in abundant coastal fisheries and a healthy marine environment. What’s more, the public are increasingly aware that our inshore fisheries are depleted and need to be restored to abundance.

Pathway to success

The Council has initiated LegaSea to generate widespread public awareness and support for the need to restore abundance in our inshore marine environment. Also to broaden NZSFC’s involvement in marine management advocacy, research, education and alignment with other organisations, on behalf of our member clubs, affiliated club members and LegaSea supporters.

Since 2012 LegaSea has successfully campaigned on behalf of the NZSFC on a range of issues including changes to commercial catch limits for multiple species, generated support for mana whenua in implementing customary Māori management tools, and developed tools to enable people to have a say on issues that are important to current and future generations of fishers.

Collaborative pathway

Over time we have built strong relationships with organisations, representatives and individuals who share the vision of more fish in the water and a fair go for Kiwis. 

Most often we collaborate on submissions in response to management proposals, to develop new policies and strategies, commission research and participate in the Fisheries New Zealand science and working group processes. 

For the majority of submissions we collaborate with the New Zealand Angling & Casting Association and the New Zealand Underwater Association.

Together, we are the largest group representing non-commercial marine fishing and environmental interests in New Zealand.

We are committed to ensuring that sustainability measures and environmental management controls are designed and implemented to achieve the Purpose and Principles of the Fisheries Act 1996, including “maintaining the potential of fisheries resources to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations….” [Fisheries Act s8(2)(a)].

Pathway to abundance – Rescue Fish Ika Ruaora

Milton Friedman, author, captures the essence in this quote –

“Only a crisis – actual or perceived – produces real change. When that crisis occurs, the actions that are taken depend on the ideas that are lying around. That, I believe, is our basic function: to develop alternatives to existing policies, to keep them alive and available until the politically impossible becomes the politically inevitable.”

Our fisheries are in crisis. The Quota Management System (QMS) was established in 1986 on the basis that issuing rights to a public resource would make commercial fishing more profitable, and enable severely depleted inshore fish populations to rebuild. 

In reality, the public is still subsidising an industry that is depleting our common pool resources. After 39 years of the QMS many stocks still languish below the level that can provide good yields while maintaining resilient marine ecosystems. 

The NZSC has recognised the enormity of the task of restoring inshore fish abundance and biodiversity. Despite the roadblocks, the NZSFC has taken on the challenge to find a workable solution for the future management of our fish stocks. 

Our bold solution is called Rescue Fish Ika Rauora. 

Rescue Fish is a policy offering an alternative to our failing Quota Management System. The Rescue Fish policy was presented to government officials, and commercial and Māori fishing interests in 2020. The policy presents a holistic solution to address depleted fish stocks and biodiversity loss.

The reforms prioritise food security and developing small-scale artisanal commercial fishing to boost Māori and regional economies, and contribute to the wellbeing of all New Zealanders. 

As our marine environment continues to decline the need for reform will become more obvious, and inevitable. 

Over a million dollars has been invested in developing and holding alive the Rescue Fish Ika Rauora policy, as it is the only workable solution that will deliver more fish in the water and a fair go for Kiwis.

Record of process

Marine fisheries management and environmental protection issues are complex. To help Council members and the public achieve a better level of understanding and awareness, the NZSFC maintains this record of process. While we make every effort to ensure completeness, often documents are not available until years after the process has been completed. As documents are made available they will be added to this record.