Salmonid angling – application to Tasman District Council

Neil Deans, Fish and Game Nelson-Marlborough, 2009

Salmonid Fisheries

• Provided guidance for developing methodology

• Includes fisheries derived from– trout (brown, rainbow, lake and brook char)– salmon (chinook, sockeye)

• No salmon in Tasman DC but criteria applicable

Personnel

• Mary-Anne Baker, Trevor James, TDC• Neil Deans, FGNZ• Martin Unwin, NIWA• Kay Booth, Lindis Consulting

• Peer Review• Chris Arbuckle, MAF• John Hayes, Cawthron

Method

1. Define River Value Categories and River Segments

2. Identify potential attributes3. Select primary attributes4. Choose indicators of primary attributes5. Determine Indicator Thresholds6. Apply indicators and thresholds

Method contd

7. Weight primary attributes (if appropriate)8. Determine River Significance9. Outline other relevant factors10. Review and assess future requirements

Applying the Method

• Attributes to reflect social, economic, environmental, cultural wellbeing

• easier said than done

• A key concept was the Recreational Opportunity Spectrum.– Provided rationale and context for this activity

• Need for discipline in language and terminology

• Wilderness/scenic attractiveness

• Lucky to have good national data (NAS)– For 1150 angling waters, c. 800 rivers– Angling use data, angler perceptions

• Water quality thresholds already determined – salmonids well studied– Cawthron Report 1205 for Horizons

Primary Attributes• Level of use• Origin of NZ users• Proportion of overseas use• Mean Free Distance (Angler Density)*• Anticipated catch rate• Anticipated chance of catching large fish• Water Quality• Scenic Attractiveness• Wilderness Character• Angler perceptions of River’s Importance

Data Gaps

• Recent user perceptions about – the importance of the river, – scenic value– wilderness value – Overall evaluation of the fishery

• Fish & Game pilot survey available• River labelling

Analysis

• More robust analysis than already in Plan– Consistency with WCO and WONI outputs– Intuitively accurate

• Comprehensive • Implications for management

– Better understanding of where issues may arise

Gaps• Attributes not included;

– Contribution to a collective value– Scarcity – Access– Future/potential value– Past value– Existence value

• Relevance for management decisions

Issues

• Importance of trialling in more than one region

• Question of how many regions before method is ‘standardised’ for national application

• Original regional analysis may need review before ‘final’ acceptance

• What to do about data gaps?