Over the last year Adventure has featured the Mackenzie Basin region and the amazing fishing that is available there, we also feature trout fishing every issue. But this hit the news today and we at Adventure are happy to see tough penalties imposed for breaking the rules – here is the story.
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 the Mackenzie Basin hydro canals.
The hydro canal fishery is the most popular freshwater sports fishery in New Zealand.
Tare Tare of Ashburton pleaded guilty to four charges against the Conservation Act in the Timaru District Court on Thursday, 17 May.
Joint Fish & Game and NIWA project to use canal anglers to catch large trout, then surgically implant a radio transponder into their bellies and then release them back into the canal fishery, pictured here on the Ohau Canal and then to track their movement in the canal system.
Tare was convicted of: fishing without a sports fishing licence; providing false and misleading information to a ranger; exceeding the daily bag limit; and continuing to fish after having already taken a daily bag.
Tare’s offending was detected during a night-time compliance operation undertaken by Fish & Game Rangers during Labour Weekend 2022.
Anglers fish the famed tekapo canal fish bowl in the Mckenzie country in the central South Island.
Tare claimed he held a valid sports fish licence; however, subsequent enquires showed this to be false. Tare was also found to have exceeded his daily bag limit of two sports fish and was still fishing when approached by Fish & Game Rangers.
In determining the penalty, Community Magistrate O’Brien took into consideration Tare’s previous history of similar offending, which took place only four years ago.
Every person fishing for sports fish, including trout and salmon, is required under the Conservation Act to purchase and hold a valid sports fishing licence.
Daily bag limits are set by Fish & Game to ensure the sustainability of the fishing resource for future generations; anglers who exceed bag limits put sustainability at risk.
Central South Island Compliance Coordinator Hamish Stevens said, “While it was disappointing our rangers encountered repeat offending, this result sends a clear message to those who flout the rules that offending of this nature will be taken seriously by the Courts”.
“Anglers who are tempted to break the rules or fish without a sports fishing licence need to realise they are risking criminal conviction and fines.”
Source: Fish and Game NZ
