New sea-run salmon limit regs?

[Southshore]

Just read on stuff about F&G contemplating changing the limit on Quinnat sea-run salmon to 2 PER SEASON, allegedly to try to stop a further decline in spawning numbers. Twizel could become the new salmon fishery capital when anglers come down for 2 salmon per day and no closed season. I have caught, smoked and eaten some of these canal salmon and they are delicious.

[Maniototoflyfisher]

Hi Brian - F&G aren't contemplating the change - it was introduced this current season. I think most salmon anglers are onboard with it but a few would have preferred a higher limit. It's certainly changed the fishing strategy with the hard core anglers - a few have kept the first 2 salmon they caught - once they have kept their two, they aren't allowed to keep salmon fishing - I've heard some go kahawai fishing!!, most cut the lawns or go trout fishing. Most hard core salmos have kept the first decent salmon they catch, then release any more they catch for a month or two, then finally keep their second when they've had enough of getting up in the dark! It's certainly spawned a lot of videos of releasing salmon.

[Southshore]

Thanks for the information David, I don't fish for sea-runs any more after some close encounters of the drowning kind at the Rakaia and Hurunui mouths, however when the trout are not biting in the MacKenzie canals, I pop over to Ohau B and get one or two salmon for the pot. I have witnessed many meat hunters fishing for searunners so perhaps this is a good thing, to give the fish a chance to build up their numbers - at least the season hasn't been cut off entirely. I'll be back fishing Twizel next month, mainly for trout and I'm tying up woolly buggers, globugs and others in the meantime. cheers