Going to New Zealand fishing you should take into account the peculiarities of the country’s legislation, which is strikingly different from the usual European laws. Firstly, the balance of fish species is very strictly monitored here. The rules of catching ocean fish that originally lived in these waters are different from the catch of imported European species.
In the 19th century, migrants brought to New Zealand redfish, which quickly filled the local water bodies, yazi and tench. The twentieth century added “illegal” redfin, fathead carp, amur, and colorful koi carp. Some of these fish are widely distributed throughout the country, some are found only in North Island reservoirs or on private farms.
Some fish species were specifically imported to promote sport float fishing, while others became illegal, released by fishermen. Today it is legally illegal to import fish or eggs into the country. All species of carp are recognized as harmful to the ecosystem of New Zealand and are universally destroyed.
Redfish and tench are recognized as “sport fish”. According to the law, one person can catch five tench per day, while there are no limits on redfin. Sport fishing is a paid type of fishing, an annual license can be bought together with fishing gear in any specialized store. A special license is required to catch trout, issued for a certain number of days.
Sea fishing does not require a permit, if you rent a boat or buy a tour, specially trained people will do everything. But there are restrictions on the size of fish caught (you can’t leave small fish in the cage), the size of the net and the amount of catch.
Also tourists are not allowed to sell fish. Moreover, according to New Zealand customs, each catch must be tasted. For a small fee, fresh fish will be cooked according to local recipes and served for dinner.
Another peculiarity of the legislation is a ban on moving fish from one water body to another. This is closely monitored by biodiversity control specialists, and violators are punished with a very impressive fine.
The peculiar New Zealand is always ready to accept a tourist-fisherman, providing an opportunity to go fishing in the ocean or on the shores of a picturesque lake. Do not miss the opportunity to fish in the “land of hobbits”, in incredibly beautiful places where movies were filmed.