The Covid-19 virus is expected to benefit New Zealand anglers this fishing season with overseas anglers left stranded and flapping about on the far bank of the Tasman Sea.
Space along Otago’s high country rivers and streams is usually in heavy demand from American and Australian anglers but unless there is a change in New Zealand’s border restrictions, they are likely to be absent this season.
The main season begins on October 1, and the high country season on November 1.
Otago Fish & Game Council chief executive Ian Hadland said this week most New Zealand anglers complained about "too many non-residents cluttering up back country fisheries" so this season New Zealanders would have an "abundance" of angling.
About 15% of the council’s revenue came from non-residents, and Australians made up about half of non-resident licence sales, he said.
In their absence, Mr Hadland hoped New Zealand anglers "will fill that gap".
"There have certainly been people I know that have been licking their chops at an opportunity like this to go into the back country waters and not having non-resident anglers crowding every single car park and road end.
"New Zealanders are really looking forward to it, especially ... the really dedicated fly fishermen."
The rivers usually dominated by non-residents were the Greenstone, Caples, Wilkin, Young, Dingle and Nevis but this season was a "rare opportunity" for New Zealanders to fish them like they did 30 or 40 years ago, he said.
"They’ve got a real opportunity in front of them to look back at the fisheries they walked away from a decade ago because of carrying capacity."
Council chairman Monty Wright said Otago hosted a high proportion of overseas anglers each season.
"They pay big bucks to come here and a lot of them are hiring guides."
They also paid an extra fee on their licence which was used by the council to monitor fisheries and ensure all anglers got a "fair suck of the sav".
"If we don’t have the money coming in, we can’t carry out the work."
Mr Wright said the council employed 10 permanent staff working on scientific work to do with "lake snow", irrigation demands, changing fish populations and bag limits.
"Some of that work will probably be shelved this year," Mr Wright said.
