Fishing Licences

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29952, 13 October 1962, Page 3

Fishing Licences

Sir.—The salmon fisherman is not getting a fair deal with the fishing licence increased to £2 10s. There are hundreds of salmon fishermen who do not fish for trout and they have a season lasting only four months, against the trout men's season of seven months. Very little of thia money is spent for the benefit of the salmon men; nearly all of it goes on trout for the benefit of tourists. A £2 10s licence should allow anyone to fish anywhere in New Zealand. What is the position if, when surfoasting off a beach a mile or so from any river mouth, a salmon is caught? Has a fisherman a legal right to retain it without a licence. —Yours, etc., FISHY. .* October 3, 1962.

[The Secretary for Marine (Mr G. L. O'Halloran) said’ "The money obtained from licence fees is largely expended on the protection and investigation of freshwater fisheries, and in district!) where salmon are present at least a proportionate amount is spent for the benefit of these fish. The Freshwater Fisheries Regulations give power for all acclimatisation societies to sell half-season licences for the following fees: men. £1 15s: women. 17s fid: persons under 17 years of age or attending school full time. 7s 6d. These licences cover the period from December 20 to the end of the normal reason. It appears that the society ip whose district your corrcr spondent resides does not sell such licences. The £2 10s licence entitles the holder to fish anywhere in New Zealand except in the Rotorua and Southern Lakes acclimatisation districts. An angler fishing from the beach, however far from a river mouth, must return any salmon or trout caught unless he is a holder of a current fishing licence.”]