Benefits of Fish Mainland

Photo Credit: Randall Bess

The aim of Fish Mainland is to provide a unified voice for the South Island marine recreational fishing community. Its aim is also to demonstrate the ability to work respectfully and collaboratively with others to find workable solutions that provide the best public outcomes.

This is because Fish Mainland acknowledges that some communities are dependent on local fisheries as a source of food. It also acknowledges the importance of commercial fishing as a source of food for non-fishers and fishers alike.

Furthermore, Fish Mainland acknowledges the importance of Māori customary fishing, and the spiritual and cultural relationships between Māori and Tangaroa, and that a healthy marine environment is crucial to the wellbeing of all sectors and interests.

The benefits of a fully functioning, professional Fish Mainland are summarised as follows:

Features Benefits
Mandated body for South Island recreational fishing interests
  1. Provides a central point of contact and referral for issues that affect recreational fishing.
  2. Effectively consults, represents and promotes fishers’ interests in the development of positions and advice.
  3. Protects the public right to access a reasonable share of fisheries resources.
Partnerships to address shared fisheries issues
  1. Provides effective, professional representation, advice and leadership.
  2. Partners with the Crown, Iwi, other sectors and interests to resolve shared problems, limiting the need for political intervention.
  3. Works respectfully and collaboratively, building support through trust and confidence.
  4. Shares information and other resources to help maintain and improve partnerships.
Iwi involvement
  1. Direct involvement at the Board level.
  2. Fully participates in strategic and operational problem definition and resolution.
Informing decision making
  1. Supports research that ensures appropriate data collection that will benefit fisheries and the environment.
  2. Committed to improving information collected on recreational catch and effort and social, cultural and economic considerations.
Secures adequate and ongoing funding
  1. Takes up increasing responsibility and costs of managing and enhancing recreational fishing.
  2. Funds cost-effective projects that directly benefit recreational fishers and communities.
Regional structure
  1. Upholds mandate for representation through grassroots, transparent regional election of Directors.
  2. Directly communicates with fishers and keeps them up to date on issues across regions.
  3. Improves the profile of recreational fishing and its health and wellbeing benefits.
Commitment to fisheries and environmental sustainability
  1. Direct involvement in sustainability processes.
  2. Supports Citizen Science contributions that augment other scientific methodologies.
  3. Provides education on safe and responsible fishing and stewardship roles that help maintain abundant fisheries and a healthy marine environment.