Reel Life September 2024
- 25/09/2024
The countdown is on!
There is only a week until the start of one of the best-looking fishing seasons we’ve seen in a while.
The winter has been kind to our fisheries, and spawning surveys undertaken by staff indicate that the fishery is in good health.
With only seven more sleeps till the sun rises on the 2024/25 fishing season, now is the time to make sure you have everything in order including your licence.
There are quite a few licencing options available to anglers, but the family licence offers the most value to many anglers.
You can check out all the licencing options here.
Fish & Game Magazine
One thing that a whole-season licence entitles anglers to is the special fishing edition of the Fish & Game magazine.
Delivered to your door, anglers should have the latest edition in their hands now.
If you’ve shifted or yours hasn’t shown up (or some other family members have claimed first dibs), you can check out our online version here.
Cast your vote now!
Whole season licence holders in the Auckland Waikato, Eastern, Hawkes Bay, Wellington, Nelson Marlborough, North Canterbury and Central South Island Regions who have enrolled to vote in the 2024 Fish & Game Elections should have started receiving their voting packs in their letter boxes this week.
You can either cast your vote by filing out the voting paper and posting it, or, the far quicker and easier method, is to use the online method provided.
Click here for the portal to cast your vote online. Then, use the details provided on your voting paper to log in and cast your votes.
Around the country, 127 people have stepped forward to put their hand up to stand and in seven regions that number exceeded the number of vacancies available, so elections are being held in those seven regions.
Voting closes on October 11, and results are announced on October 19; you can get more information here.
Regulation Booklets
For 2024 our regulations booklets look quite a bit different.
They are regional-specific and available from licence agents or from your local Fish & Game office.
If you prefer to print them at home you can download them all here.
High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza
This summer, we’d like our anglers to join the team helping keep New Zealand birds safe from High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI).
HPAI is a contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild birds. Overseas it has infected many species of ducks, geese, swans, pheasants, shorebirds and gulls as well as scavenging birds such as hawks.
Since anglers are out on rivers and lakes probably more than most parts of the population if you could keep your eyes open for any sick birds that would be great.
The most obvious sign of HPAI is several sick or dead birds. Sick birds may appear dopey; display lethargy/reluctance to move, droopy head, panting and nasal secretions, lack of co-ordination, blindness and trembling. The symptoms are similar to botulism, a bacterial disease present in New Zealand.
If you see three or more sick or dead birds, call the Biosecurity New Zealand Exotic Pest and Disease hotline on 0800 80 99 66. Don’t touch or move any dead or dying wildlife, or those in their vicinity that may appear healthy. Wait for Biosecurity New Zealand’s instructions before handling any sick or dead birds.
Tight lines.
The Team at Fish & Game NZ