Recreational fisheries in New Zealand : is there a role for self-management? : a dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Environmental Policy at Lincoln University

Abstract

In New Zealand, approaches to fisheries management have promoted the devolution of management responsibility to those stakeholders having rights to the fishery. Currently, the recreational fishing sector in New Zealand has no specified right to harvest and therefore has no specified right to participate in management. This analysis uses an integrated environmental management approach to consider self-management as a method to provide the recreational sector with greater self-determination, while also promoting increased integration of overall fisheries management. Property rights are assessed as an option for providing stability and initiating more recreational stakeholder management input. Procedural, logistical and political arrangements for effective set up and functioning of self-management institutions are identified. A framework for assessing when the critical factors for self management are present is proposed. Recommendations for preparing the recreational sector for self-management and procedures for implementation of self-management are proposed. Overall conclusions of this study are that a specified, predetermined and proportionate right to the TAC, increased institutional capacity, and more favourable logistical and political arrangements are necessary before self-management would be a viable option within the recreational fishing sector.