Triennial Review of Central South Island Region’s Sports Fishing Regulations

The Central South Island Fish and Game Council (CSIFGC) is seeking feedback on eleven proposed changes to the sports fishing regulations across a range of its regional fisheries as part of its triennial regulations review.

To support CSIFGC in making informed decisions around each proposal, feedback is requested from anglers and the public on the following proposed changes:

1. Lake Opuha / Ōpūaha – introducing a winter fishing season.
2. Lake Heron / Ōtūroto – enforcing use of single hooks to manage caught and released lake-type salmon.
3. Bells Pond – reducing trout daily bag limit.
4. Rangitata River / Rakitata – introducing an April trout season upstream of Turn Again Point.
5. Bait fishing – permitting restricted use of a portion of fish as bait.
6. Scented artificial lures (bait) – permitting restricted use in spin fishing waters.
7. Bait fishing – introducing regulation to clarify offence of bait fishing with salmon farm and trout hatchery feed pellets.
8. Upper Ahuriri River Catchment – Introducing November season opening date.
9. Awakino River / Te Awakinonui – Introducing an open season.
10. Lake Alexandrina / Takamana – Introducing a winter season brown trout bag limit.
11. Canal fishery – Introducing a universal bag limit across interconnected waters.

The proposals, their assessment by CSIFGC staff, and online feedback forms can be found here at our website here.

For further information about providing feedback please contact our office: ph. – 03 615 8400 , email – csi@fishandgame.org.nz 

Feedback will be accepted until 27 April 2025.