The annual Moeraki fishing competition has been put on hold after almost three decades because the organisers say it has become too difficult and expensive to run.
It will be replaced by a new greenfeed contest for farmers.
Run by the Waianakarua Lions Club, Easter's competition would have been the 29th.
Several factors, including the closure of the main road into Moeraki and replacement by a detour, extra costs created by traffic management plans and fees imposed by the Waitaki District Council, the fact last year's contest was hit by weather and other issues
have prompted the Lions club to replace it with a different event.
The club had decided to combine with the Waiareka Lions Club to run a greenfeed winter crop growing competition, club publicity officer John Munro said.
The Otago Rescue Helicopter Trust and North Otago Hospice Hub will benefit from proceeds of the new competition.
Mr Munro said it was felt the fishing contest might have run its course. Last year only 25 boats put to sea after the event was postponed twice.
''We also felt, with the main road closed, if we had 80 boats there would have been some sort of disaster on the [detour] back road,'' he said.
