NZSFC Fish File Series

Celebrating our members, their success

The 59 member clubs and 32,000 affiliated members of the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council deserve to be acknowledged, celebrated and have their achievements publicly recognised.

The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council is compiling a series of documents called "Fish Files", in honour of past members, current management, zone delegates, club committees, all members and supporters.

Fish File series

There are so many good people within our organisation. Often it is the hard working committee members that are left with the onerous task of going into the community to raise money for various aspects of the club's activities. 

Seeking prizes for annual tournaments is another challenge, particularly in provincial centres where the support base is limited and many hands go knocking on the same doors.

The NZSFC Fish File series has been designed to make this fund raising job more prosperous.

These documents are one-page, easy to read profiles covering a range of topics and achievements that members can rightly claim as their own.

Initial series

During October and November 2011 the NZSFC developed an initial series outlining a variety of issues, including:

• The Kahawai Legal Challenge - an unprecedented response
• Environmental interests - building bridges of understanding
• Tangata whenua - a developing partnership
• Marlin - a recreational-only fishery in New Zealand.
• Hiwi The Kiwi Goes Fishing - school project.
• The New Zealand Marine Research Foundation - a charitable trust for research

Next profiles

Over the following months our objective is to develop more profiles. If you have any suggestions for other issues or achievements that ought to be recognised please send our secretary, Roz Nelson, an email with a short summary and your contact details. 

Our collective success - Fish File series

Introduction

Celebrating our members, their achievements. This is an introduction document including some handy tips and a variety of approaches you can take when you next go hunting that special sponsorship deal.

No.1 The Kahawai Legal Challenge

The NZSFC recognises kahawai as a vital link in the marine food web. Kahawai are expert at schooling baitfish, which in turn attract and sustain seabird populations. Prior to the advent of plastic lures kahawai were excellent bait for a variety of game fish. Kahawai are one of the most valuable inshore species.

No.2 Environmental interests

For years the environmental sector was viewed by fishermen as a bunch of hippies espousing radical policies for marine protection. Through necessity and various projects the NZ Sport Fishing Council now has a good working relationship with a variety of environmental organisations and community-based groups.

No.3 Maori interests

From tentative, initial meetings the NZ Sport Fishing Council has now developed a strong working relationship with northern Maori, including Iwi authorities, various hapu and marae. Affiliation with tangata whenua around the remaining country varies, with mostly positive outcomes arising from liaison during processes to implement local, customary area management tools.

No.4 Billfish moratorium

Since the first sport fishing captures in 1914 to the present day over 22,000 striped marlin have been certified and weighed in New Zealand. In response to declining catches due to commercial exploitation the NZSFC successfully negotiated a moratorium to prohibit commercials taking marlin for sale. In return recreational fishers had to tag and release 50% of the marlin catch for research purposes.

No.5 Hiwi The Kiwi Goes Fishing

In 2009 the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council joined with Mark de Lacy, aka The Ministrel, to promote his Hiwi The Kiwi Goes Fishing project to primary school children. The project's theme is Fish for the Future. This ongoing programme is designed to teach kids how to enjoy, manage, protect and preserve our marine environment, while being safe in and around the water.

No.6 The New Zealand Marine Research Foundation

In 1990 the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council sought to establish a charitable trust to raise money for research. Those funds would be used to sponsor research on aquatic plants and animals, and interactions between people and marine ecosystems, to the benefit of all New Zealanders.