What's Fishing Worth?

What's Fishing Worth?

We know the value of a good day on the water. We know how important it is to feed the people we love. But what is fishing worth to NZ?

THE PROJECT

LegaSea is a strong advocate for better recreational fishing and more fish in the water. One of the things we come up against again and again is the lack of hard evidence on our contribution to the New Zealand economy. Current high levels of commercial fishing catch are strongly defended because their export returns to the economy can be readily quantified. However, despite fishing being recognised as one of the most popular recreational activities in New Zealand, we’ve never stopped to add up exactly how much it is worth to the country.

For recreational fishing to be valued by our leaders, the decision makers and our communities, we need to know what it is worth to the economy. The New Zealand Marine Research Foundation (NZMRF) are stepping up to the challenge. They have contracted the international experts on valuing recreational fishing to research and publish a report describing the value of recreational fishing to the New Zealand economy. We want to empower our Government Ministers to make more informed decisions that will increase the value we get from our marine resources. This research is the tool we need to convince our leaders that there is much more value in rebuilding our fisheries for future generations. Read More.....