A call has been made to the wider Southern community to help identify non-compliant whitebait fishermen and women.
The appeal was made at a public meeting at the Balclutha War Memorial Hall, Balclutha, on Monday.
The meeting was held by the Department of Conservation to discuss the whitebaiting season, which began yesterday and continues until November 30.
Doc compliance officer Ciaran Campbell hosted the meeting alongside Otago Regional Council chairman
Stephen Woodhead.
About 30 people attended.
One attendee wanted to know how to deal with non-compliant fishermen or women who were out at night and why there appeared to be a lack of action taken by Doc.
Whitebait fishing was prohibited at night between 8pm and 5am and 9pm and 6am during daylight saving.
Mr Campbell appealed for help from the wider community to report offenders.
He said Doc was unable to police rivers all the time and those acting illegally often were not fishing or had somehow been informed beforehand that Doc was out monitoring.
''There's a lot of people out there who can help us manage that.''
He said a representative group formed by the fishing community could be the future of the Clutha fishery and would provide a collective voice for local management.
''You've got to help us.''
Mr Campbell also sought information on whitebait catch diaries, which whitebaiters had been filling out for Doc over the past few years.
This year had the highest yield of people willing to provide information to Doc. About 40 people had indicated interest.
Last year, 11 people returned catch diaries for the season.
The diaries provided Doc with valuable information on the amount caught and hours or days spent fishing.
Mr Campbell also discussed some of the changes to regulations, which included a limit on the size of the fishing pole used on whitebait nets.
