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De-intensify agriculture only way to save high country lakes

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The declining state of Canterbury’s high country lakes shown in a new Ministry for the Environment report highlights that intensive agriculture should never have been allowed in these sensitive ecosystems,...

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Repeat offender angler pleads guilty to four charges.

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A repeat offender dealt with by Fish & Game was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling $3,530 in the Timaru District Court for multiple sports fishing offences committed at...

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Game Bird Hunting Opening Weekend

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More than 65,000 New Zealanders are believed to have turned out for the opening morning of the game bird season with low cloud, a bit of wind, and in some...

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Fish & Game calls for Water Conservation Orders to be enforced

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Fish & Game New Zealand is urging regional councils to step up and protect New Zealand’s rivers and lakes by enforcing Water Conservation Orders (WCOs).

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Cracking season on the cards as Opening Weekend looms

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Weekly Fishing Report for Central South Island and North Canterbury for 27 April 2023

WFR2224.72 A late season fish for a sea run salmon at the Rangitata Mouth photo credit Rhys Adams

Get your salmon card data into Fish & Game by May 7th so your data can be included in this year's calculations.

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Weekly Fishing Report for Central South Island & North Canterbury for April 20 2023

WFR222368 Bohdi Munro struggles under the weight of his biggest catch ever a 168 pound brown from the Mackenzie hydro canals photo by Justin Munro 1 copy 2

The early teenager catches the big brown trout when it comes to fishing the canals.

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Fish & Game scientists research New Zealand’s rivers with electric fishing technology

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The effects of barriers to fish passage on native species and trout in Taranaki, and a recovering kōaro and eel population in Nelson/Marlborough are among the insights gained in an...

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Weekly Fishing Report For Central South Island & North Canterbury for April 13 2023

WFR2223.65 while waiting for the bite activities like board games can be played just make sure youre within 15 metres of your rod Photo by Rhys Adams

This week’s rain has put a bit of a dampener on the fishing, but the weather is looking to settle, and river flows to recede – more on that in...

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Weekly Fishing report for Central South Island and North Canterbury regions for April 6 2023

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While out and about on Monday, I ran into keen angler Murray Bransgrove on the Te Ana a Wai (Tengawai) River, who was stalking a couple of browns with a...

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Weekly Fishing Report for Central South Island and North Canterbury for March 30 2023

WFR2223.63 Oetse Kempkers caught this chunky salmon at Ohau C Canal on Wednesday photo by Hamish Stevens

CSI Fish & Game Ranger Hamish Stevens was on duty at the canals on Wednesday, undertaking licence and compliance checks and our Canal Angler Survey.

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New leadership appointed for the Central South Island Fish and Game Council

CSIFG 1 Steve Mcknight has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the Central South Island Fish and Game Council Photo credit CSIFG

The Central South Island Fish & Game Council (CSIFG) announces the appointments of its new Chief Executive, Steve McKnight and Council Chair, Linn Koevoet.

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Weekly Fishing Report for Central South Island and North Canterbury for March 23 2023

WFR2223.61 Checked and all legal Waitaki River angler Darren Shields and his companions are checked on by Ranger Hamish Stevens photo by P Van Klink

Forty-Six Waitaki River Anglers Get a Visit from Our Rangers.

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Regional council must act on deadly botulism outbreaks

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An outbreak of avian botulism in Waikato’s Whangamarino wetland that has killed thousands of waterfowl including some rare indigenous species is yet another wake-up call for urgent action, says Fish...

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Weekly Fishing Report for Central South Island and North Canterbury for March 16 2023

WFR2223.58 A sunny day at a high country lake put yourself in the picture this weekend Photo by Rhys Adams

This Friday (tomorrow) a massive wet and windy storm will hammer the main divide while further East on the Canterbury Plains there is only a little rain forecast and some...

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Weekly Fishing Report For Central South Island and North Canterbury for March 9 2023

WFR2223.55Fish Game ranger Hamish Stevens gets the goss from salmon anglers at the Rangitata River mouth Photo by Rhys Adams

Back in the good old days of sea-run salmon fishing in the 1990s, the Rangitata River mouth was an incredibly productive fishing spot.

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Central South Island and North Canterbury Weekly Fishing Report for March 2 2023

WFR2223.53 Dave Kitching first salmon since 1985 6.2kg and caught on tuesaday this week photo by Allan Gillespie

King, Chinook or Quinnat – three common names for New Zealand’s sea-run salmon species introduced from North America.

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River guardians back in the water

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Fish & Game has launched a diving programme to monitor New Zealand’s trout populations and assess the health of the nation’s waterways.

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Weekly Fishing Report for Central South Island and North Canterbury for February 23 2023

WFR2223.52 late summer high country fishing at its finest photo by Rhys Adams 2

Thanks to 20-50mm of rain region-wide on Wednesday, river flows have jumped a bit and for the most part will provide ideal fishing flows tomorrow and over the weekend.

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Weekly Fishing Report for Central South Island and North Canterbury for Feb 16 2023

WFR2223.49 Elliot Nelson caught his first Rangitata sea run salmon at age 7 photo by Rikki Nelson

Rikki Nelson had a proud dad moment while fishing the Rangitata River last Sunday with his 7-year-old son Elliot.

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