FishCare promotes best practice techniques to help recreational
fishers reduce their impact on our inshore fisheries.
Billfish Best Practice Guide
Billfish – including marlin and swordfish – are some of the most iconic and sought-after species in sportfishing. New Zealand’s waters are internationally renowned for producing exceptional billfish, with anglers from around the globe travelling here for the chance to catch these magnificent fish. The excitement of seeing a marlin strike, hearing the scream of the reel, and witnessing their acrobatic leaps is unparalleled.
Billfish play a significant role in the economic and cultural value of New Zealand’s sportfishing industry, supporting tourism, charter operators, and regional economies. Their sheer size, power, and beauty make them a prized catch – but their future depends on us adopting best practice methods when targeting and releasing them.
Our new Billfish Best Practice Guide has been created with input from marine scientists, charter operators, and experienced billfish anglers. It outlines the best methods for catching, handling, and releasing these majestic fish to maximise their survival. Check out the guide for tips on safe handling, gear choices, and responsible fishing practices HERE.
Spearfishing and Diving Best Practice Guide
Spearfishing and diving are exhilarating ways to experience New Zealand’s marine environment, offering a unique challenge for those seeking to catch fish or gather kaimoana while immersed in the ocean. New Zealand’s diverse coastal waters provide world-class opportunities for spearos and divers, attracting locals and visitors alike to target species such as snapper, kingfish, and crayfish.
The sport’s appeal lies in its combination of skill, patience, and the chance to interact closely with marine life in their natural environment. Whether gliding through kelp forests or diving over rocky reefs, the experiences are unforgettable – but they also come with a responsibility to act carefully and respectfully underwater.
The environmental and social value of spearfishing and diving in New Zealand is immense. Ensuring the sustainability of these practices is vital for the health of our marine ecosystems and for future generations to enjoy.
Our new Spearfishing and Diving Best Practice Guide was developed with input from experienced divers, marine scientists, and safety experts. It highlights essential tips on species selection, safe diving techniques, and ethical harvest practices. Explore the guide for advice on staying safe, minimising your impact, and protecting the underwater world HERE.
It’s that time of the year when the southern bluefin tuna visit our waters. This is a fragile fishery and and we want it to survive for centuries to come. So, if you are targeting tuna this winter, please read the Fish Care Southern Bluefin tuna best practice guide – handling, utilisation and safety. These magnificent fish need to be treated with care and respect by all fishers. Please note, the limit for fishers is one fish per person. You can check the rules here.
Yellowtail kingfish are a highly respected sportfish and New Zealand has arguably the best kingfish fishery in the world. Out of the 37 IGFA claimed world records for Southern yellowtail, currently 35 have been captured in New Zealand.
This world class fishery makes them a popular sport fish for Kiwis as well as charter operators – some of whom target them exclusively for local and international clients. Kingfish are a powerful fish and frequently hunt inshore where they are encountered by fishers. Big splashes, panicked baitfish leaping for their lives and monster hits and runs are experiences fishers seldom forget.
The economic and social value of kingfish to New Zealand fishers, visitors and regional economies is high. As such, it is in our best interests to understand and adopt best practice principles when catching and releasing kingfish.
Our yellowtail best practice guide was compiled with the help of charter operators, marine scientists and experienced fishers. How we handle fish for release is important but so is how we fish for them. Check out the guide for how to best fish for, handle and release these prized sportfish HERE.
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kaitiakitanga
No longer is the phrase true ‘plenty more fish in the sea’ as we realise globally our fish stocks are rapidly declining from over fishing and negative impacts on the ocean environment.
We must change our thinking and our ways. Kaitiakitanga or guardianship should be in every fisher’s conscience as they gather from, fish in, and interact with our ocean habitats.
The FishCare principles and practices are not difficult to implement. Everyone will find something to improve in their approach to fishing to contribute to a healthy, vibrant inshore fishery.
Our vision
An abundant fishery enjoyed by today and by future generations. It takes time to rebuild and restore a fishery to abundance but the more people who adopt these principles, the faster we can make a difference.
With our population projected to increase and an increase of pressure on fish stocks globally, it is essential that today more than ever we adopt best practice fishing methods. From selective fishing methods to releasing techniques to utilising as much of each fish we catch, there is much we can do to better value, protect and rebuild our inshore fishery.
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Fishcare is an initiative of LegaSea and the New Zealand Sportfishing Council
Billfish – including marlin and swordfish – are some of the most iconic and sought-after species in sportfishing. New Zealand’s waters are internationally renowned for producing exceptional billfish, with anglers from around the globe travelling here for the chance to catch these magnificent fish. The excitement of seeing a marlin strike, hearing the scream of the reel, and witnessing their acrobatic leaps is unparalleled.
Spearfishing and diving are exhilarating ways to experience New Zealand’s marine environment, offering a unique challenge for those seeking to catch fish or gather kaimoana while immersed in the ocean. New Zealand’s diverse coastal waters provide world-class opportunities for spearos and divers, attracting locals and visitors alike to target species such as snapper, kingfish, and crayfish.
