New manager for Hawke's Bay Fish & Game

The Hawke’s Bay Fish and Game Council has appointed Mark Venman as Regional Manager for the Hawke’s Bay region.  

Council Chairman Kevin Williams says that Mark is “very well equipped” to head Fish & Game’s local team.

Mark's background, qualifications and management skills, along with his experience more recently as a Hawke’s Bay Fish & Game Officer all combine to make him ideal for the role, he says.

Mark took up the Regional Manager’s job last month after ten months as a Senior Fish & Game Officer in Hawke’s Bay and 13 years working for the Department of Conservation in Taupo as an ecologist, senior ranger and fisheries manager.

Mr Williams says that in addition to managing, maintaining and enhancing regional sports fish and game bird resources, Mark is “keen to improve communication with rural landowners and other members of the community, and explore ways of working more closely together for the benefit of everyone.”

“The future looks bright and we as a Council look forward to working with Mark towards preserving fish and game recreational opportunities and outdoor experiences cherished by a large number of New Zealanders and their families,” Mr Williams says.

Mark, a keen angler, says that his professional background has largely focussed on fishery monitoring and compliance, and that he’s looking forward to continuing involvement in these activities.  

“I’m also looking forward to meeting with game bird hunters and learning more about game birds.”  With duck banding currently underway he notes he’ll be getting some very “hands on” familiarity with waterfowl over the next couple of months.

Mark says he is keen to create a strong and productive team in the Hawke’s Bay Region and work more closely with Councillors.  “Over the past year staff have initiated the process of establishing new relationships with people and organisations, and I’m keen to build on this and get more work done with our small but dedicated team along with other interested parties.”

The Hawke’s Bay region has a lot to offer to both trout anglers and game bird hunters, Mark says, but adds that there are still challenges to be met, “mainly in relation to water quality and quantity and the ongoing degradation and loss of habitats more generally.”  

“Over and above these, the region is considerably warmer and drier than any others and this adds an additional set of challenges and issues that need to be acknowledged and provided in so far as it’s possible to do so. 

“We can’t change the weather, but we can enhance habitat and the productivity of some species to buffer environmental impacts, and with the expertise we now have within the Fish & Game team I’m confident we can deliver more for our hunters and anglers in future.”