New PR Direction for Fish and Game NZ?


The winds of change may be about to blow away years of antagonism by Fish and Game New Zealand towards farming writes Neal Wallace in the latest issue of Farmers Weekly.
In the article Neal Wallace interviewed Fish and Game’s new chairman Ray Grubb of Otago, who is determined to nurture a better relationship with farmers.
“Dirty dairying has gone. The term coined by Fish and Game NZ to describe the environmental impact of dairy farming, has been widely vilified by farmers and credited with the deteriorating relationship between anglers and hunters with farmers.”
“Grubb promises to be less confrontational with farmers and farming groups, to cooperate and show mutual respect and to agree to disagree on some issues.”
“This approach has been endorsed by FGNZ’s national council and will build on strong community relationships the organisation has at regional level, but which Grubb says is missing at national level.”
“He described the FGNZ dirty dairying campaign initiated by formers FGNZ chief executive Bryce Johnson, as aggressively worded—but FGNZ will not use it again.—It had come at a cost with a noticeable increase in landowners curbing access to fishermen and hunters over their land to waterways.”

, New PR Direction for Fish and Game NZ?

Ray Grubb- new Fish and Game NZ chairman

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7 Responses to New PR Direction for Fish and Game NZ?

  1. John Mulgan says:

    If Mr Grubb can produce results with this approach, more power to him. Anglers as well as the wider public should commend the work of catchment associations like the Pomahaka Water Care Group, which has reversed many trends of pollution. The real question is, What will Mr Grubb do if the Dairy and Irrigation industries just keep polluting, as they have for decades. The dairy and irrigation industries have outsized political influence. Public affairs studies consistently warn against the dangers of forming asymmetrical partnerships between small nonprofits and giant corporate interests. The result is often an object lesson resembling domestic abuse. Don’t let Fish and Game become another battered wife who can’t leave an abusive relationship. For that, we have the Department of Conservation.

    • Grant Henderson says:

      You need a long spoon when you sup with the Devil.

      Look at the recent post on the seven Waikato farms. Pollution is still pollution, no matter what name you give it.

  2. Charles Henry says:

    Are New Zealand’s scientific experts really dead – or just resting?
    From TheSpinoff
    The row over Jacqueline Rowarth’s strange suggestion that the Waikato River is one of the world’s five cleanest reveals a need for more scientists to be heard in public, not fewer, writes Shaun Hendy.

    In post-Brexit Britain, failure to heed the warnings of economists on the risks of leaving the EU has spawned many a thinkpiece on the death of the expert. Indeed, experts might be forgiven for ending it all after a British scientist who pointed out that the moon causes the tides was called out by a UKIP MP and accused of fear-mongering. Britain may have once ruled the waves, but now finds itself ruled by folk who find waves a little bit confusing.

    Here in New Zealand, we know full well that the tides are caused by the decision of the previous Labour government to extend daylight saving. And with minds untroubled by tidal forces, Kiwis have had time to contemplate a deeper question:

    Why are our rivers full of shit?

    Are New Zealand’s scientific experts really dead – or just resting?

    NZFFA - New Zealand Federation of Freshwater Anglers

  3. Tim Neville says:

    Mr Grubb is digging a hole for himself. The Chair of Federated Farmers was himself in trouble very recently for serious harm to a trout stream with his brown effluent. Most anglers will fail to see how NOT raising concern about it will improve the fishery. The dirty dairying campaign was designed to influence the law makers and there have been positive results; even if not yet enough. It is interesting that nowhere has there been published any clear requests from Fish and Game regional councils for Grubb’s approach. It looks like Ray Grubb is trying to set himself up as the new fishing messiah.
    Tim Neville

  4. Keith Hawkins says:

    It is a shame our chairman Mr Grubb, is prepared to buckle to the widespread advertising campaign run by federated farmers in denying the existence of dirty dairying. If there is no dirty dairying how come some errant farmers are still being prosecuted for such indiscretions.
    In saying this not all farmers are culpable, some are doing really good work.
    Mr Grubb needs to take another drive up the upper Taiere River and observe the cattle standing in the water up near the Styx. Cattle have been observed standing in this water for years. Could Mr Grubb explain why the Aparima River, Lake Clearwater, The selwyn river , Lake Waihora, parts of the Hurunui and Waiau River have areas of pollution. These are only a few rivers effected by bad practice and are all South Island ones never mind the North Island ones.
    We dont have to be intimidated by a well oiled machine.

  5. Herb Spannagl says:

    Federated Farmers have succeeded in their aim to infiltrate NZ F&G by standing and promoting farmer friendly candidates at F&G elections. I do not know how many of such double agents have made it onto Regional Councils but judging by Mr Grubb’s new conciliatory rhetoric and by the National Council’s firmly instructing its director Mr Taylor to tone down his campaign against river pollution it appears F&G has now well and truly been subverted from within.

  6. sandy bull says:

    A Gisborne farmer has been prosecuted for very serious pollution of the Motu
    river.( ongoing siltation after large earthworks on farm ) no consents sought or given by Council. Inland Revenue got into the act, Result huge fines and seizure of assets.

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