More overseas visitors have bought non-resident fishing licences in Otago than elsewhere in New Zealand since their recent introduction, Fish and Game Otago says.
Otago has sold 450 non-resident licences so far this season, operations manager Ian Hadland says.
Non-resident licences were introduced at the start of this fishing season, putting a ''30% premium'' on the cost of a licence for those who did not live in New Zealand.
Non-residents could choose either a whole season licence at $160 or a 24-hour licence for $25.
The phase-in had gone well, with high levels of compliance, although there was some disgruntlement from Australian anglers, he said.
''Most international anglers have got on with the transition but the Aussies are still a bit upset about being charged more that Kiwi fishermen.''
Those anglers were claiming New Zealand was breaching all sorts of agreements.
''But the reality is that if you're not a New Zealand citizen or a permanent resident, then you are a non-resident angler and will be treated as such.
''They aren't getting a lot of sympathy from New Zealand anglers, though, who reckon we should have been charging tourist anglers more years ago.''
One of the few incidents to mar the introduction was an American couple caught without non-resident licences on the Clutha River.
''It's the first offence of this sort we have on the books, so we are carefully considering it. We need to look at how they managed to obtain incorrect licences in the first place and if that was deliberate or an error on behalf of the licence agent.''
