Reflections on the Water

CEO comment – Corina Jordan

I often find myself deep in thought when I’m on the river

Probably not all that conducive to catching fish, as it’s cost me a few missed takes through delayed strikes… I know, I should have been paying more attention.

I guess that’s the great thing about time spent fishing though – being in beautiful surrounds, the sounds of nature and running water, can all lull you into a sort of meditative state. For many anglers it’s the same.

Little wonder, then, that research is showing time and again how beneficial angling is for our mental health and wellbeing. Indeed, a new joint study between Otago University and Fish & Game reinforces that very point (read more on page 36).

My mind is sometimes drawn to work when I’m fishing. This may seem contrary to what I’ve raised above, but despite many challenges that come with this job my reflections on the water are invariably positive about Fish & Game, where we’re at and where we’re heading.

For instance, our ReWild campaign (see page 11) has been a success worth celebrating – the outreach has been beyond what we considered possible when we started planning this project and then ultimately launched it in November 2023.

The purpose of the campaign was to increase our social licence for the pursuits and species we manage at a time when their relevance in society were being increasingly contested and often marginalised.

We wanted to highlight to the New Zealand public what this organisation does, what it stands for and the significant gains we’ve made for freshwater quality and habitat conservation. Without doubt we’ve achieved that and managed to showcase the benefits of the organisation to not only our anglers but also all Kiwis and the wider environment.

This will be an ongoing body of work to meet what are likely to be continuing challenges.  

ReWild also aimed to increase participation in angling and hunting as a means of normalising the pursuits as part of Kiwi culture. This is an important tranche of the campaign because, as I’ve previously voiced, our survival and ability to continue enjoying the best freshwater fishing on the planet relies on our strength in numbers.

Put simply, it is much more difficult to sideline – or even attack – freshwater fishing and anglers when we make up a significant chunk of society.

To that end I urge you to play a part and introduce someone new to angling this season. Take a friend, family member, spouse, partner or neighbour; open their eyes to the enjoyment you get out from this amazing pursuit. 

Another aspect of the organisation I often reflect on when fishing is how tight the freshwater angling community is and how fortunate Fish & Game is to have such strong support. The volunteer effort put into both the pursuit and organisation is enormous.

Take, for example, the governors who sit on the 12 regional Fish & Game councils and the national body. These people are all volunteers; they dedicate their time to represent you and ensure your chosen pastime is in the best possible stead.

Elections for these important positions will be held next month (September). If you have governance experience and want to give back to the freshwater angling and game bird hunting, please consider standing. If you’re interested, you can find out more on page 6. 

As well as our governors, our network of rangers also give their time for free. Without their voluntary effort we simply wouldn’t have enough staff or time to achieve the compliance outreach we currently attain. Theirs is not a simple job either, but it is a vital one to ensure everyone plays by the same rules and that there is sustainable management of the fish and game resource.

Of course, I can’t overlook the fantastic support we receive from the network of angling clubs around the country. They keep the fire burning for many anglers and do great work encouraging and nurturing the next generation into the pursuit too.  

One of the great highlights for me since I started this job has been watching the women angling initiative, which started from the club scene, go from strength to strength to being the unstoppable movement it now is. It has been humbling to speak at several Women on The Fly events and see the enthusiasm, passion and dedication of both the participants and the leaders – a special shout out to Leigh Johnson and Rachel McNae. 

When you’re out on the water this season, I encourage you too to reflect on how lucky we are to have such devoted people helping drive and protect the pursuit. Never take the amazing recreational resource for granted – do you bit to help safeguard it for future generations. I hope you have fantastic season.