Changes coming to Fish & Game governance

Photo: Richard Cosgrove

A government review into Fish & Game has outlined a tranche of recommendations to modernise governance protocols and decision making.

The report is the result of a ministerial review initiated last year by former Minister Sage in order to ensure Fish & Game’s governance and structure were ‘fit for purpose’ today – the structure has been unaltered since 1990.

Recommendations in the report include reducing the number of Fish & Game regions from 12 to six, the number of governors on each council from 12 to eight, and suggests ways to include iwi throughout Fish & Game.

New Zealand Fish and Game Council chairperson Ray Grubb says the review provides an overdue and welcome health check of the organisation. While it proposes some significant changes, he is encouraged it endorses Fish & Game’s core strengths.

"It is encouraging that it is a ringing endorsement of our strong environmental advocacy on behalf of our 150,000 anglers and game bird hunters,” says Ray.

“It also provides a template for future results."

Ray says the review panel went to exceptional lengths to canvass the full raft of views from both within Fish & Game and external stakeholders.

"What the reviewers identified is a huge disparity in views on the future structure. The review report, therefore, provides solutions where consensus was not going to be possible."

The report was released by Acting Conservation Minister Dr Ayesha Verrall at the end of April the year.

The Minister has established an implementation panel, which will also be chaired by Ray, as a signal that Fish & Game shall continue to manage its own affairs.

"I must also thank the review panel members, Belinda Clark and John Mills, for their thorough and frank appraisal of Fish & Game,” says Ray.

“It has many positives for the organisation to take into the future.”


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