Fish & Game New Zealand has a statutory duty to help protect the country's natural freshwater resources, which provide the habitat to support healthy fish populations and offer some of the best trout fishing in the world.

Everyone living in or visiting New Zealand also has a responsibility to protect this precious resource. In this section you'll find information on the various threats to our waterways and how we can all play a part in managing them.

Water Conservation Orders (WCOs)

You can also find out about the major role Fish & Game NZ has played in protecting some of the country's outstanding wild and scenic waterways through the application of Water Conservation Orders (WCOs) by clicking here.

Learn more about WCOs at our Outstanding Rivers website here.

Freshwater Algae ID, Info and Resources

Freshwater algae are natural, essential, and often beautiful inhabitants of lakes, ponds, wetlands, and streams.

However, they can also cause problems when they occur in abundance, resulting in toxin production or unsightly growths, and may be obvious indicators of contamination. This website will be useful to anyone interested in observing and identifying algae.

Check, Clean, Dry

We all need to do our bit to protect New Zealand Waterways. If you are moving items between waterway…

Didymo

Didymo (Didymosphenia geminata) is an invasive freshwater algae which is present in some South Islan…

Freshwater management positions

The WaiGood Policy site consists of Practice Notes covering key issues councils must deal with when implementing the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020.

Riverbank Management

Rivers are important to all New Zealanders. They provide valuable habitat for trout, eels and other fish species, drinking water for people and animals, as well as recreational opportunities such as swimming and boating for humans.

Mycoplasma Bovis - Advice for anglers

Anglers often access waterways across farms so we need to take steps to ensure that we help prevent the spread of the cattle disease Mycoplasma bovis.