Divided view on valuing sport fishery

A suggestion a report on the economic value of New Zealand's sport fishery is needed has caused some controversy within Fish and Game.

Otago Fish and Game had put a proposal to the national managers' forum for an economic analysis of the country's sport fishery.

The response was for the Otago branch to come back with a more detailed proposal in time for the next budget round.

In the meantime, the national council debated the issue favouring the view it was better not to have that information and instead promote the heritage and amenity values of the fishery, Otago chief executive Niall Watson said.

"We are not able to say New Zealand trout fishing is worth X amount of money ... all we have got is old data from the 1970s ... it urgently needs an update."

An evaluation of the Mataura River trout fishery by opponents of a conservation order in the 1980s showed the total expenditure of anglers on the river was $1.6 million-$1.8 million with its value in 1987-88, based on the expenditure, estimated to be between $17 and $35 million, he said.

Otago council member Ray Grubb said when the present Government decided to do anything, it was based on economic value, so if Fish and Game argued the value of the resource, it had to have something on which to base its arguments.

Dave Witherow, Otago's representative on the national council, said he did not believe an economic report was needed as the figures would only come out "soft" compared to the benefits of things like "hydro".