Federated Farmers Southland had previously called for farmers to remove access to their land for fishermen.
It has again upped the ante, calling for Fish & Game to be stripped of its advocacy function and for the organisation to be restructured.
Federated Farmers Southland president Jason Herrick said enough was enough.
"The straw that broke the camel’s back was the latest Court of Appeal announcement that would result in over 3000 farmers requiring a resource consent to continue farming legally."
Mr Herrick also cited issues with gravel removal in built-up waterways and push-back against the Waituna Lagoon, and said Fish & Games push-back against such measures was hurting the community.
"I’ve heard an Environment Southland councillor at one of their hearings state the Aprima River last year had record-high river levels.
"We’re nowhere near record flows, so if that’s the case, then why was it at record highs?
"Because the riverbeds are so built up that there’s too much gravel that needs to be dealt with, and it’s organisations like Fish and Game that continuously pushed back and stopped this stuff from happening," he said.
Mr Herrick also said the organisation had lost sight of its original role and did not reflect the views of fishermen in the region.
"They’re taking funds from fishermen or fishing licences and using it as a mechanism to fight for their own personal agenda,
"Fish and Game has gone away from their core business, to look after the anglers, monitor the anglers, monitor the species and and protect the species,’
"It’s creating pointless exercises with no beneficial outcomes," he said.
Mr Herrick said there had been a breakdown in communication between Fish & Game and the farming community.
"We have situations where we have met as a collaborative group with Environment Southland and other strategic partners, and solutions will come up.
"Then Fish and Game have gone away and done completely the opposite, especially around the rivers and gravel management."
Mr Herrick said calling for farmers to deny access to waterways was a way to put pressure on the organisation, and it was time for a restructuring.
"We have to ask the government to step in and and let us make that change and remove the advocacy powers," he said.
Fish & Game chief executive Corina Jordan said she was worried about what farmers were being told.
"I think there’s been a bit of miscommunication. I’m really concerned about the information that farmers are being provided and the impact that will have."
She said the issue had spread from Southland, and she was trying to communicate as well as she could with the farming communities around New Zealand.
"The reason I’ve stepped in is because it’s become a national issue, given the impact it’s had on Fish and Game nationally.
"I’ve had a lot of conversations with farmers. A lot are concerned about the situation, but have a good relationship with us,
"They’re just trying to get to the bottom of what’s happened in Southland," she said.
Mrs Jordan said Fish & Game’s advocacy function was not a tool for personal agendas but rather another avenue for representation.
"What we know is the advocacy function is important for ensuring anglers and hunters have a voice," she said.
