Postal Surveys of Angling in the Rakaia and Other Canterbury Rivers, 1986/87 and 1987/88 Rssn 0113 -2504
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
MAF Postal surveys of angling in the Rakaia and other CanterburY rivers, 1986/87 and 1987/88 rssN 0113 -2504 New ZealandFreshwater Fisheries Report No. 124 Postal surveys of angling in the Rakaia and other Canterbury rivers, 1986187 and 1987/88 by MJ. Unwin Freshwater Fisheries Centre MAF Fisheries Christchurch S erticing freshw ater fsheries and aquaculture April 1991 NE\ry ZEALAND F'RESITWATER F'ISIIERIES REPORTS This report is one of a series issued by the Freshwater Fisheries Centre, MAF Fisheries. The series is issued under the following criteria: (1) Copies are issued free only to organisations which have commissioned the investigation reported on. They will be issued to other orgânisations on request. A schedule ofreports and their costs is available from the librarian. (2) Organisations may apply to the librarian to be put on the mailing list to receive all reports as they are published. An invoice will be sent for each new publication. ISBN 0-477-08,109-5 Edited by: S.F. Davis MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES TE MANATU AHUWHENUA AHUMOANA MAF Fisheries is the fisheries business group of the New Zealand Ministry of Agricutture and Fisheries. The name MAF Fisheries was formalised on I November 1989 and replaces MAFFish; which was established on 1 April 1987. It combines the fr¡nctions of the former Fisheries Research and Fisheries Management Divisions, and the fisheries functions of the former Economics Division. T\e New Zealand Freshwater Fßheries Report series continues the Nsl.v Zealand Minßtry of Agriculture and Fßheries, Fßheries Environmcntal Repon series. Enquiries to: The Librarian Freshwater Fisheries Centre PO Box 8324 Riccarton, Christchurch New Zealand CONIENTS Page SUMMARY 1. INTRODUCTION 2. TTß,1986187 SALMON ANGLING SURVEY I 2.1 Background 8 2.2 Study Area 8 2.3 Objectives 10 2.4 Methods 10 2.4.I QuestionnaireDesign 10 2.4.2 Sample Selection 10 2.4.3 Field Procedures 12 2.5 Results T2 2.5.I The Replies T2 2.5.2 Number of Anglers T2 2.5.3 Angling Effort t3 2.5.4 Number of Salmon Caught 13 2.6 Discussion t4 2.6.1 Response Rate T4 2.6.2 ComFarisons with Previous Surveys t4 2.6.3 Characteristics of the Four Salmon Rivers 1.6 2.6.4 Number of Salmon Anglers l7 3. THE 1987/88 RAKAIA CATCHMENT SURVEY t7 3.1 Background t7 3.2 Previous Surveys t7 3.3 Objectives 18 3.4 Methods 19 3.4.1 Questionnaire Design L9 3.4.2 Sample Selection 20 3.4.3 Field Procedures 20 3.5 Results 20 3.5.1 The Replies 20 3.5.2 Number of Fish Caught 20 3.5.3 Angling Effort 2t 3.5.4 Preferred Angling Waters 22 Freshwater Fisheries Centre Page 3.5.5 Angling in the Rakaia River 3.5.5.1 Areas Fished 23 3.5.5.2 Preferred SPecies 24 3.5.5.3 The 1987/88 Fishing Season 24 3.5.6 Preferred Specias in kke Coleridge 24 3.5.7 Preferred Specias in I¿ke Heron 25 3.5.8 Other Recreational Activities 25 3.5.9 Comments bY ResPondents 25 3.5.9.1 The 1987/88 Salmon Angling Season 26 3.5.9.2 Salmon Catches at Se¿ 26 3.5.9.3 The Rakaia River and Catchment 27 3.5.9.4 The I¿ke Coleridge Region n 3.5.9.5 Jet Boats and Power Boats 27 3.5.9.6 Licences and Licence Fees 27 3.5.9.1 Stocking 28 3.5.9.8 Miscellaneous Comments 28 3.6 Discussion 28 3.6.1 Response Rate 28 3.6.2 Angling Success 28 3.6.3 The Relative Importance of Angling Waærs 29 3.6.4 Angling in the Rakaia River, 1987/88 30 4. EVALUATION OF TIIE SURVEYS 4.1 The 1986/87 Salmon Angling Survey 30 4.2 The 1987/88 Rakaia Catchment Survey 30 4.3 Measurement of Angling "Success" 3l 5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 32 6. LITERATURE CITED 32 APPENDIX I. The questionnaire used in the 1987/88 Rakaia catchment survey 33 APPENDIX U. The covering letter used in the 1987/88 Rakaia catchment survey 35 TABLES 1. 1986/3Tfishinglicence salqs forthe North Canterbury, Ashburton, South Canterbury, andWaitaki Valley 10 acclimatisation districts 2. Responses to the 1986/87 salmon angling survey by district and response time t2 Freshwater Fisheries Centre Page 3 . Estimated number of adult, whole-season fishing licence holders from four acclimatisation districts fishing 12 for salmon during the 1986187 fishing season 4. Estimated number of adult, whole-season fishing licence holders from four acclimatisation districts fishing 13 for salmon during the 1986/87 fishing season 5. Estimated effort in angler-days expended by adult, whole-season fishing licence holders fishing for 13 salmon during the 1986187 fishing season 6. Estimated number of salmon caught by adult, whole-season licence holders fishing for salmon during the 14 1986187 fishing season 7 . Percentage of salmon anglers who did not catch a salmon during the 1986/87 fishing season, by river and 14 district of origin 8. The effect of call-backs on the survey estimates for North Canterbury and Ashburton anglers fishing the 15 Rakaia River, and South Canterbury anglers fishing the Rangitata River 9 . Comparison between estimates of angler numbers , effort in angler-days, and salmon catch for the 1986187 16 survey, and those from previous surveys 10. Major surveys of, or including, angling within the Rakaia catchment since 1974 18 11. Adult, whole-season licence sales for North Canterbury and Ashburton acclimatisation districts 1987/88, 20 and the number of licences sampled from each district 12. Replies to the 1987188 Rakaia catchment survey by sample type and response 20 13. Estimated number of anglers fishing within the Rakaia catchment during the 1987/88 fishing seåson 2I 14. Estimated catch of sea-run salmon, trout, and land-locked salmon from the Rakaia catchment during the 2l 1987/88 fishing season 15. Effect of outliers on catch estimates for the Rakaia catchment, 1987188 fishing season 2l 16. Estimated number of North Canterbury and Ashburton adult, whole-season licence holders fishing 18 22 angling waters within the Rakaia catchment during the 1987/88 fishing season I7 . Estimated number of fishing visits made by North Canterbury and Ashburton adult, whole-season licence 22 holders fishing 18 angling waters within the Rakaia catchment during the 1987/88 fishing serison 18. Number of survey respondents identifying 18 angling waters in the Rakaia catchment as their first, 23 second, and third most-preferred, fishing water 19. Number of survey respondents who fished each of five reaches of the Rakaia River during the 1987/88 23 fishing season 20. The number of areas of the Rakaia River fished by anglers in the random and expert samples, during the 24 1987188 fishing season 2I. Preferred fish species amongst Rakaia anglers in the random and expert samples during the 1987/88 24 fishing season 22. Evaluation of the 1987/88 fishing season on the Rakaia River by anglers in the random and expert 24 samples Freshwater Fisheries Centre Page 23. Preferred fish species amongst I¿ke Coleridge anglers in the random and expert samples during the 25 1987/88 fishing sear¡on 24, Prefcrred fish sp,ecies amongst I-ake Heron anglers in the random and expert samples during the 1987/88 25 fishing season 25. Other recreational activities engaged in by Rakaia catchment anglers who responded to the 1987/88 25 survey FIGT]RES 1. The rivers and acclimatisation distriots covered by the 1986187 salmon angling survey 9 2. the covering letter and guestionnaire used in the 1986/87 salmon angling survey 11 , X'reshwater f,'lsherlæ Centre SI]MMARY salmon, while anothet 357o showed a clear preference for salmon rather than trout. By contrast, Lake Coleridge was regarded as a true multi-species fishery, Postal surveys of anglers in the Canterbury region were with respondents showing about equal preference for conducted for the 1986187 and 1987/88 fishing seasons. salmon and trout. Lake Heron was valued The 1986187 survey was designed to estimate, for four predominantly for its trout fishery. rivers supporting major salmon fisheries, the number of anglers fishing for salmon, and the effort and catch for The 1987/88 fishing season was widely regarded ¿¡s one each river. The 1987/88 survey was designed primarily of the worst ever, with very few fish seen or caught to identiff the relative use and value (as perceived by after about mid January 1988. Many anglers felt that the anglers) of the various lakes and rivers within the trawler catches at sea were responsible for the Rakaia catchment. Both surveys involved samples of supposedly low returns, but others noted that adverse about 1000 licence holders, drawn at random from river and weather conditions also contributed to the angling licence receipts. Response rates were 95.8Vo poor season. for the 1986187 survey, and 84% for the 1987/88 survey. Camping and picnicking were the most popular recreational activities pursued by anglers during their During the 1986/87 fishing season, four major salmon visits to the Rakaia catchment. Expert anglers were rivers (the Waimakariri, Rakaia, Rangitata, and more active than those in the random sample, Waitaki) were fished by an estimatd 12 800 + 1400 particularly with regard to camping and the use of jet- anglers, who expended a total of 210 000 + 21 5æ boats. angler days on these rivers and caught 19 000 + 3 2OO salmon. The Waimakariri River was the most heavily A completely satisfactory method of monitoring anglers' fished, but did not attract anglers from outside the catches through postal survey daø has yet to be North Canterbury and Ashburton acclimatisation devised.