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- Canterbury’s Nitrate Emergency
Has destroyed much of Canterbury’s recreational Fisheries in addition to the threat to public health A post by past-chairman Peter trolove The Nitrate Emergency is … Continue reading - A Fly to Tie for Next Winter at Taupoby Ben Hope I came across this simple nymph pattern on a US site. It should be ideal for Taupo rivers this autumn and winter. … Continue reading
- Matt Watson accuses Shane Jones of favouring commercial industry ‘mates’Not Freshwater, but aligned closely:- Matt Watson discusses the state of New Zealand’s oceans, including concerns about commercial fishing regulations and their impact on recreational fishing.
- High Court Ruling on NitratesWhat It Means for Freshwater Anglers Commentary by Andi Cockroft, Chairman, CORANZ The recent High Court decision finding that Environment Canterbury (ECan) made a legal error in allowing nitrate discharges … Continue reading
- King’s Childhood Salmon River is ’Empty’15 December 2025 by Editorial Staff of “SalmonBusiness”
- Blaming the New Faces Won’t Fix Old FailuresOp-Ed by John Davey (a new novice author to NZFFA) The Newsroom article “Murder, the Government Wrote” has struck a nerve — and rightly so. But one reaction to it, offered by freshwater advocate … Continue reading
- From Invisible Contamination to Empty RiversWhy Anglers Are Disappearing from Canterbury’s Waters NZFFA Follow-up to “At Long Last: Canterbury’s Water Is Finally in the Spotlight” Guest Post by Dave Rhodes In our previous article, NZFFA welcomed … Continue reading
- At Long Last: Canterbury’s Water Is Finally in the Spotlight— What Needs to Happen Next Guest Post by Dave Rhodes For many freshwater users in Canterbury, the recent RNZ series “What’s really going on with Canterbury’s water?” prompted a familiar reaction: … Continue reading
- A Glyphosate “Safety” Paper Has Been RetractedWhy Freshwater Fishers Should Care Observation by Andi Cockroft, Chair CORANZ For many years, assurances about the safety of glyphosate have leaned on a small number of highly cited review papers. One … Continue reading
- Pine Plantations and Freshwater: Why NZ’s Expanding Exotic Forests Threaten Our Rivers and StreamsGuest post by Dave Rhodes Across the country, pine plantations — and in some places, wilding pines spreading far beyond plantation boundaries — are reshaping New Zealand’s landscapes. For freshwater … Continue reading
- Is It Time for a Class Action on Nitrates?Across Canterbury, and in other intensive-farming regions, people have been quietly drinking water with elevated nitrate levels for decades. Now the science is catching up – and it makes for grim … Continue reading
- When the Farms Go, the Salmon Come Back:Commentary by Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Lessons from British Columbia for New Zealand** In British Columbia, Canada, something remarkable is happening. In places where open-net pen salmon farms have … Continue reading
- ECan Wakes Up – Just – to the Nitrate CrisisCompiled by CORANZ Environment Canterbury (ECan), has carried a motion to declare a nitrate emergency at its final meeting recently. But the vote was narrowly carried — nine for, seven against — indicating … Continue reading
- Removal of BC salmon farms coincides with rebounding wild runs for “National Fisherman”By Paul Molyneaux for ’National Fisherman” Early evidence suggests salmon runs on British Columbia rivers are growing where salmon farms are removed While many wild salmon runs in Canada … Continue reading
- Hidden Chemicals in Our Food and Water?Guest post by Dave Rhodes Why New Zealand Cannot Ignore the Global Warning on Trifluoroacetic Acid (TFA)** For years, we have raised alarms about chemical contamination in our rivers, lakes … Continue reading
- Are Fish Really “Heading South”? The Real Reason Stocks Are Shifting — And It’s Not What Most People ThinkGuest post by Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ Prompted by this RNZ article I decided to write this short note: Public debate has recently been stirred by claims that marine fish … Continue reading
- Whitebait Crisis — Why NZFFA Should Be ConcernedGuest Post by Dave Rhodes 🐟 What’s the problem? A major national report published recently warns that several whitebait species are at serious risk because of declining waterway health. (RNZ) … Continue reading
- Rotorua’s Rotting Weed Is a Warning for Every Lake in New ZealandGuest Post by Dave Rhodes Visitors to Rotorua are used to a certain smell. The geothermal sulphur haze is part of the city’s character. But recently another odour has taken over the lakefront … Continue reading
- We Won’t Miss Regional Councils – But We Still Need a Referee for the RiversGuest Post by Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ 1. The Government’s Announcement In mid‑2025 the New Zealand Government announced a sweeping shake‑up of local government: elected regional councils are to be abolished. In their … Continue reading
- High-Value Visitors, Fragile Rivers: Why Clean Fresh Water Matters to New Zealand’s Angling VisitorsA Guest Opinion from Andi Cockroft, Charman, CORANZ Introduction: A Standout Asset Under Pressure New Zealand’s reputation as a world-class destination for freshwater angling is firmly established. From the braided rivers … Continue reading
- Freshwater Under Pressure: What New Zealand’s Water Quality Means for Contact RecreationA guest post from Andi Cockroft, Chair, CORANZ A quiet change in the places we once trusted For generations, New Zealanders have formed an almost instinctive relationship with fresh water. Rivers, … Continue reading
- CORANZ Objects to Governments Fast Track BillThe Council of Outdoor Recreation Associations has strongly opposed the Fast Track Approvals Amendment Bill which the coalition government has closed submissions on. “This Bill should not proceed. It … Continue reading
- A Book for Young Anglers and FamilyBook review “Hooked” by Al Brown, illustrated by Hope McConnell, published by Allen and Unwin. Price $36.99. Reviewed by Tony Orman Al Brown renowned chef and avid angler, has written a book … Continue reading
- Fishing’s Great for Mental HealthThe more time you spend fishing, the better it is for your mental health. A significant New Zealand study of nearly 1,900 anglers, the largest of its kind globally, has shown that … Continue reading
- 75,000 salmon escape from Scottish fish farmAlmost 75,000 farmed salmon have escaped into open water in Loch Linnhe in the Highlands after a fish farm was damaged by Storm Amy. Operator Mowi said a net on a pen at its … Continue reading
- Winding up my campaign as a candidate for ECan for Mid-CanterburyDr Peter Trolove This is my second attempt to stand for ECan in the Mid-Canterbury ward. I was not as committed on my first attempt as I had committed to work as a locum vet on the West Coast over spring … Continue reading
- Managing a Nitrate EmergencyThe International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies ingested nitrate and nitrite, under conditions that lead to endogenous nitrosation, as Group 2A: Probably Carcinogenic to Humans. This means there is limited … Continue reading
- Ministers Sidestep Canterbury’s Nitrate Emergencyby Dr Peter Trolove Candidate for ECan, Mid-Canterbury ward When ECan councillor Vicky Southworth proposed her Notice of Motion that ECan declare a nitrate emergency she did a good … Continue reading
- “Mighty” Rakaia River is Vanishing Due to Neglectby Tony Orman Canterbury’s Rakaia River, once the premier sport fishing river for quinnat salmon is vanishing before the eyes of recreational anglers as irrigation dwindle its once strong flows … Continue reading
- Federated Farmers Wants Protections on Public’s Iconic Waterways Dumpedby Ben Hope According to media reports Federated Farmers is lobbying the Government to quash present and future Water Conservation Orders (WCO). The move by Federated Farmers is centred on the Golden Bay’s unique … Continue reading
