Anglers and duck shooters will have to pay more for their
sport next season.
Most fishing and game licence fees will rise next season, the
whole season adult fishing licence from $96 to $105 and the
adult game whole season licence from $78 to $80.
The Central South Island and Otago Fish and Game Council have
approved the new fees recommended to all 13 councils by the
New Zealand council, blaming increasing resource management
costs for the rises.
Yesterday, Central South Island chief executive Jay Graybill
said a portion of the increases was due to rises in basic
costs, such as fuel and electricity.
"But the biggest effect is legal and resource management
costs," he said.
Anglers and shooters were paying to protect water and wetland
habitats at resource consent hearings, such as the Meridian
Energy north bank proposal and Hunter Downs irrigation scheme
on the Waitaki River, the Central Plains irrigation plan in
Canterbury and some major developments in Nelson-Marlborough,
he said.
The Waitaki River projects have, so far, cost Mr Graybill's
council $150,000, excluding staff time.
• Licence fees up
The new fees (last season's fees in parenthesis). -
Fishing
Adults: Whole season $105 ($96), family $137 ($125), winter
$63 ($58), 24 hour $21 ($19).
Junior: Whole season $21 ($19), winter $13 ($11.50), 24 hour
$4 ($4).
Game
Adults: Whole season $80 ($78), 24 hour $18 ($18).
Junior: Whole season $18 ($18), 24 hour $6 ($5.50).
Child: $2 ($2).
*$2 from each game licence goes to habitat improvement.
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