Better compliance with fishing rules

Fish and Game ranger Brent Duncan displays a trout taken from Mill Creek at Lake Hayes. Photo...
Fish and Game ranger Brent Duncan displays a trout taken from Mill Creek at Lake Hayes. Photo supplied.
The number of anglers breaking fishing regulations halved in the past season but there are still people who continue to fish without a licence, Fish and Game Otago says.

Overall, Fish and Game recorded 98% compliance for the 2013-14 fishing season, operations manager Ian Hadland said.

''This year's angling compliance has been very good.''

Twenty-three fishing offenders were dealt with and a further 14 anglers who failed to produce a licence on demand were given verbal or written warnings.

Of the offenders dealt with, 16 were offered the council's reparation option and accepted it, five were given written warnings and two were unable to be traced.

Three offenders were dealt with in court, two for fishing without a licence, both on Kaikorai Estuary, and one for fishing without a licence and providing false information, on the lower Clutha River.

A similar compliance level, 98.5%, was also recorded during the game season, Mr Hadland said.

Two offenders were caught with lead shot while hunting waterfowl within 200m of water.

Both took the council's reparation offer.

Reparation fees were set at $500 for fishing without a licence and for breaching Game Gazette conditions such as being over the bag limit or using lead shot.

Money collected in the reparation process was diverted into the council's habitat enhancement fund, he said.

It typically cost more to prosecute an offender in court than was ever recovered by way of fines.

The average fine was $513, Mr Hadland said.

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