The most significant change ever to the way sea-run salmon are managed in NZ has been proposed, to help rebuild
Canterbury’s wild sea-run salmon population.
In co-operative decisions, the Central South Island Fish and Game Council (CSIFGC) and North Canterbury Fish and Game
Council (NCFGC) have formally resolved that a sea-run salmon "season bag limit" regime should be implemented across both
regions.
Both Councils have jointly agreed to recommend this new tool, to restore the resilience of wild salmon populations. Fish
and Game New Zealand will now seek Government regulations to implement this proposal.
The size of the season bag limit will be reviewed annually, based on where the size of the spawning population sits
within the range of spawning thresholds.
"We must have enough sea-run salmon spawning to sustain future generations and right now that’s our priority," Dr Andrew
Simpson, Chair of CSIFGC says.
"Any angler who reaches their season bag limit must stop fishing for salmon for the remainder of the season. A season
bag limit will be new to New Zealand anglers but is a common fisheries management tool around the world. It is the
single most effective regulation to ensure enough sea-run salmon reach the spawning grounds to sustain our iconic East
Coast salmon fisheries" Simpson says.
The famous sea-run salmon fisheries of Canterbury and North Otago account for 90% of all sea-run salmon caught in the
South Island but now have less than 10% of the numbers seen in the 1990’s.
"It was clear from the 2017 Salmon Symposium that to kick-start the recovery of the sea-run salmon fishery, the current
harvest controls, including the daily bag limit, would not be effective to prevent excessive harvest, while also
maintaining a fair opportunity for anglers" Alan Strong, Chair of NCFGC says.
Angler catch surveys indicate that after spending up to three years at sea, between 40% and 60% of salmon returning to
spawn in rivers are caught by anglers. It is estimated that a season limit bag of four will reduce angler catch by about
16% and this immediately increases the number of fish that can spawn and sustain future generations of salmon.
In the future a season bag limit may allow Fish and Game to relax current restrictions on when and where anglers fish,
to increase angling opportunity.
"The adage that 10% of the anglers catch 90% of the fish holds true for salmon fishing. About 95% of anglers catch four
or less salmon each season, so most anglers won’t be affected by the season limit bag of four fish and more fish will be
able to spawn" Simpson says.