Fish and Game Councils

Fish and Game Council’s were established in 1990 to manage, maintain and enhance sports fish 1317  and game birds 1318  in the ‘recreational interests of anglers and hunters’. 1319

The New Zealand Council was established to represent nationally the interests of anglers and hunters and to coordinate the management, enhancement and maintenance of sports fish and game. 1320  The New Zealand Council has a broad function to ‘advocate generally and in any statutory planning process the interests of the New Zealand Fish and Game Council and, with it agreement, of any Fish and Game Council in the management of sports fish and game, and habitats’. 1321  The Fish and Game Council can therefore become a party to proceedings under the RMA through lodging submissions or appeals to protect fish and game and their habitats. The Council can also apply for water conservation orders and undertakes research into fish and game and their habitats.

The Conservation Act also provides for the establishment of 12 regional Fish and Game Councils 1322  which were elected from licence holders. These manage the sports fish and game resource at a regional level by setting licence fees and regulations. They are involved in issuing licences to take sports fish and game, advocacy to protect sports fish and game habitat, wetland management, hatchery and breeding programmes, compliance, enforcement, monitoring and education. 1323  The activities of the Fish and Game Councils are funded mainly through the sale of licences.

For more information: www.fishandgame.org.nz

  1. Parts 5A and 5B Conservation Act 1987

  2. Part 2 of the Wildlife Act 1953

  3. Section 26Q Wildlife Act 1953

  4. Section 26B Conservation Act 1987

  5. Section 26C(1)(g) Conservation Act 1987

  6. Section 26P

  7. Section 26Q

Last updated at 8:22AM on December 12, 2014