New fishing bag limits at Lake Wakatipu and opening Lake Mahinerangi over winter were floated by the Otago Fish & Game Council yesterday.
The council met in Dunedin yesterday and discussed the 25 submissions to the Otago Anglers Notice Review.
Seven submitters wanted the daily bag on Lake Wakatipu to be reduced from six fish per day to two fish.
In a submission, fishing boat operator Stu Dever expressed his concern about the abundance of small salmon and declining rainbow trout numbers in the lake.
On a fishing trip, he caught and released 47 salmon in two hours but often came back from trips without catching a rainbow trout.
Mr Dever wanted to increase the salmon bag and lower the trout bag.
Council member Adrian McIntyre supported lowering the bag limit on the lake.
"I think two fish per person per day is ample.''
Council chairman Monty Wright suggested reducing the trout bag limit from six to four and having a six bag limit for salmon.
Council member Ian Cole suggested keeping the six bag limit but allowing no more than two of the bag being trout.
Council member Rick Boyd supported Mr Cole's suggestion.
"I think that's a brilliant idea.''
Mr Wright was against lowering the bag to two trout on the lake.
"If we drop from six trout to two we will get a backlash; if we drop from six to four I don't think we will get a backlash.''
Council member Ian Cole strongly disagreed.
"There is an issue with trout and we need to exercise a precautionary approach,'' he warned.
Council member Dave Witherow disagreed and supported reducing the bag to four.
"We have no idea what is the limiting factor in Lake Wakatipu - we don't know whether the angler pressure has any effect on the fishery.''
Mr Boyd said information revealed the fishery was "suffering'' but the cause was unknown.
"It doesn't really matter, if the fish aren't there, then we need to take action.''
Otago Fish Fish & Game chief executive Niall Watson asked the council to provide daily bag limit options to be considered at the June council meeting.
A submission from Dave Watson asked the council to discuss opening Lake Mahinerangi to fishing in winter.
Lake Mahinerangi could be fished between October 1 and April 30 and Mr Wright supported the lake being open all year round.
"I can't see any reason not to,'' Mr Wright said.
Mr Watson agreed.
"It's a large area of water, I can't say you'd see an impact.''
Mr Witherow supported the lake being open in winter.
"If nobody is offended by us opening it, why don't we just open it?''
