Press Release 21 July 2011

Trout Fishers Seek Politicians' Answers on Rivers

A national trout-fishing advocacy wants answers from political parties on question marks over water quality and public access to rivers and fishing.

The New Zealand Federation of Freshwater Anglers has written to all political parties identifying threats, often commercially driven, to traditional public ownership and use of water and waterways plus environmental standards and water quality.

Federation president Jim Hale, a Manawatu dairy farmer and trout fisherman, said there was growing concern at the potential plight of New Zealand rivers and the erosion of access to waterways.

"While such issues may not be at the top of political party agendas, they are of considerable importance to the numerous trout fishing public. There is a feeling and an awareness within freshwater anglers that the threats to our freshwater rivers and lakes from urban, industrial and agricultural extraction and pollution, and the increasing attempts by vested interests to privatise and monopolise a public resource, are at a tipping point," he said. "Consequently there is a very real danger that something the public values greatly, and which many take for granted, could be lost forever."

Mr Hale said the first European settlers had established trout fisheries and a law framework that was designed to, unlike the UK, make trout fishing a public sport available to all along egalitarian principles.

"So there is nearly two centuries of tradition and heritage and associated law at stake."

Many of trout fishers want parties to consider formulating sound policies and have indicated answers will definitely influence voting preferences in the upcoming election.

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