Licence Holders Kept in the Dark

Gamebird hunters and sportsfish anglers appear to have been kept out of inhouse discussions on a raft of proposed major changes to the way their sport is managed says Timaru’s Tom O’Connor, a former NZ Fishing and Game councillor

The proposals arise from a decision by former Conservation Minister Eugene Sage to order a comprehensive review of the governance of the New Zealand Fish and Game Council in 2020. Her decision came on the back of long running internal disputes over the respective roles of regional fish and game councils and the New Zealand Fish and Game Council.  

A high-level panel of former Secretary for Justice and Law Commissioner Belinda Clark QSO and John Mills, was tasked with carrying out that review and making recommendations for change. Their report, released in May last year, contains 36 recommendations for change including a key suggestion that the New Zealand Fish and Game Council should be elected directly and independently by licence holders, rather than be appointed by the regional councils as they are at present, to reflect the intent of the Conservation Act which established the new system.     

Other significant proposals from the Review Panel include a reduction in the number of regional fish and game councils from the current 12 to six with four members elected by licence holders, three ministerial appointments and one Iwi appointment on each. Councillors will only be allowed to serve two three-year terms and all council management plans will have to include the interests of Maori as Treaty Partners of the Crown.

Current Conservation Minister Kiritapu Allen has accepted the proposed changes in principle and has appointed New Zealand Fish and Game Council chair, Ray Grubb, to head a panel to implement only those changes which don’t require amendments to the law. The New Zealand Fish and Game Council has also played a role but only invited submissions from regional fish and game councils, but not their licence holders, on the 36 recommendations contained in the Governance Review.

“All twelve councils responded and the New Zealand Fish and Game Council also made it’s own submission. However no formal invitation to comment on the 36 submissions has yet been extended to licence holders even though the principal role of the New Zealand Fish and Game Council is to advocate their interests nationally,” Tom O’Connor says.

“Responses from regional fish and game councils revealed a not surprising determination by them to retain control over the membership of the New Zealand Fish and Game Council.” “According to the New Zealand Fish and Game summary of regional submissions the majority want the current system of appointments to be replaced with an electoral college style system of elections by regional councils rather than direct elections by licence holders. Only one region supported the recommended direct election by licence holders as proposed.”

Apart from the stipulation that New Zealand Fish and Game Councillors cannot also be regional councillors, that would appear to be little different to the current system which gave rise to the disputes and the need for the review. It is also contrary to one of the Review Panel’s central recommendations Tom O’Connor suggests.

“In the meantime, while there is ongoing consultation between the New Zealand Fish and Game Council, regional fish and game councils and Mr Grubb’s implementation group, licence holders, who pay for the system have not been formally surveyed or asked for comment.”

The latest issue of the Fish and Game Magazine, which went out to all licenced gamebird hunters a few weeks ago, does not even include a progress report, an update or a survey much less a copy of the regional council submissions with Mr Grubb saying there is nothing to tell them yet but there should be an opportunity for public consultation by the middle of the year.  

“When the former 150-year old acclimatisation societies were replaced by fish and game councils more than 30 years ago the essential philosophy of “user pays, user says” was caried forward into the new system. That meant that those who paid for the management of gamebirds and sportfish, on behalf of the Crown through their licence fees, would continue to have full control over the new system.”

“In addition to the 12 new regional fish and game councils, charged with managing gamebird and sportsfish populations, a new New NZ Fish and Game Council was established to politically advocate the interests of licensed anglers and hunters nationally and with coordinating and auditing the work of regional councils. It was an entirely new role which many regional fish and game councillors failed to understand or accept that the New Zealand Fish and Game Council was given a crucial leadership responsibilities.”  

The full list of recommendations is on the DoC Website.

Tom O’Connor served on acclimatisation societies and several regional fish and game councils for more than forty years and represented the Director General of Conservation on one of them.  He has also served as a member of the New Zealand Fish and Game Council and, in that time, he established the special seasonal issues of the Fish and Game magazine.