Fish And Game Declares War On Rural NZ

Wednesday 24 Nov 2004

Gerry Eckhoff - Press Releases - Rural

Fish & Game New Zealand has clearly renounced political impartiality by throwing its weight behind the Labour Government's destructive rural policies, ACT Rural Affairs Spokesman Gerry Eckhoff said today.

Mr Eckhoff's comments follow a Fish and Game newsletter from chief executive Bryce Johnson which rallies anglers to support the Government's `right-to roam' proposal.

"Fish and Game's desire to take landowners' property rights and give them to their members is not supported by the vast majority of outdoor recreationalists. The Deer Stalkers' Association, for example, has recently come out in favour of the status quo, which is all that rural property owners want."

Mr Eckhoff believes the monopoly status enjoyed by Fish & Game in the administration of freshwater fish and game birds must now be reviewed.

"Fish & Game has become a political lobby group hell-bent on imposing its will over the hand that feeds them - rural New Zealand. It won't have a future as long as it allows left-wing philosophies to dominate its thinking.

"Fish & Game is constantly misleading the public. Its campaign against Poronui Station near Taupo is an obvious example of it constantly maligning owners over access and fishing rights when in fact such matters were negotiated with DOC five years ago.

"It is simply wrong that Fish & Game chief executive Bryce Johnson's personal crusade to allow people to catch a fish once in a while should take precedence over landowners' needs to manage risk on their property, said Mr Eckhoff.

ENDS

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