Overseas anglers a worry
A booking or ballot system could be introduced in an attempt to relieve the high number of anglers on Southland rivers.
Otago University and Southland Fish & Game are joining together to research the effects of the increasing numbers on rivers, and implement ways to sustain them.
The fishing season opens today, and people from all over the world will be on the banks of Southland’s world-famous Oreti and Mataura rivers during the next seven months.
Southland Fish & Game decided on the research after receiving complaints last year about there being too many anglers in some areas.
Southland Fly Fishing Club secretary-treasurer Chris McDonald believed the high number of overseas tourists fishing was a contributing factor to ‘‘overcrowding’’ and it needed to be addressed.
‘‘It’s been constantly building up ever since Queenstown opened its international airport [in 1995] . . . it’s deeply concerning.
‘‘You can fly into Queenstown and be fishing an hour down the road.’’
Depending on what the Fish & Game and Otago University’s research reveals, a booking or ballot system could be introduced next year.
In the upper Oreti a beat system operates, which involves anglers parking their cars beside signs to indicate to others the spot is taken and for them to fish behind or elsewhere.
Southland Fish & Game manager Zane Moss said the region had always attracted large numbers of overseas anglers because the province was known globally for its trout fishing and scenery.
He thought overseas fishing enthusiasts injected more than $2 million into Southland’s economy every year.
‘‘Crowding is an issue after Christmas . . . it peaks from midJanuary to mid-March.
‘‘February is the busiest . . . we get the most favourable weather then and tourists know this.’’
Moss said for some overseas tourists, fishing in crowded areas didn’t bother them as it was common in their country.
‘‘There’s been tension [between anglers in Southland] but I’m unaware of any assaults.’’
Last year, Fish & Game issued 12,000 fishing licences for the Southland region, with 1000 sold to non-residents.
A survey in recent years, relating to a season in Southland, showed nonresidents fished for a total of 12,000 days.
The upper Mataura and upper Oreti were the most popular, Moss said.
Gore fishing guide Barry Perkins said he took his clients to areas within a 30-minute drive of Gore and those places were not crowded.
However, he was aware certain fishing spots in Garston, Athol and Oreti were popular.
Most of his clients arrive from Australia and the United States, while others hail from Britain and Singapore.
Many of them are skilled professionals, including airline crews and medical people.
‘‘[Fishing in Southland] gives them stress relief,’’ Perkins said.
‘‘I’ve met some amazing people.’’
‘‘There’s been tension [between anglers in Southland] but I’m unaware of any assaults.’’ Zane Moss, Southland Fish & Game