Farming
- Federated Farmers Southland encourages hunters to buy game bird licences from other regions.
- The boycott aims to protest Southland Fish & Game’s alleged anti-farming stance.
- Federation urges constructive engagement between Fish & Game and the farming community.
Federated Farmers Southland is calling on duck hunters in the region to buy their game bird licences from outside Southland this season in protest against Southland Fish & Game.
"We want to send a very clear message to Southland Fish & Game that we’re sick of their nonsense," said Federated Farmers Southland president Jason Herrick.
Herrick expressed frustration with what he described as Southland Fish & Game's "anti-farming rhetoric and activism." He stated that the organisation needs to start working with farmers instead of against them.
"That’s why we’re encouraging all Southland shooters — not just farmers — to buy their licences outside of the district this season," Herrick added.
He encouraged hunters to support regions that are working more positively with farmers, such as Hawke’s Bay or Wellington.
"So, if you’ve got mates coming down for duck shooting this season, tell them they’re only welcome in the maimai on opening morning if they’ve supported the boycott," he said.
This licence boycott follows earlier calls from Herrick for farmers to avoid buying fishing licences from Southland Fish & Game. He also encouraged locals to take down Fish & Game access signs and replace them with an orange ribbon to show their frustration.
"We get around 5000 hunters coming down to Southland over duck shooting weekend in May. It’s part of our cultural identity," Herrick said.
"If all those people buy their licences out of the region, it will take a fair chuck of money out of Southland Fish & Game’s pockets."
Licences for the 2025 game bird season are already on sale, with the season beginning in early May. An adult game bird licence for the full season costs $113.
Herrick stressed that the boycott isn’t about avoiding licences altogether but about ensuring hunters purchase them from different regions.
"We want people to make sure they’re hunting legally, but we’ve got a real aversion to funding an extreme activist group that’s actively working against farmers," he said.
"Southland Fish & Game have been unnecessarily obstructive in so many areas, like opposing farmers from removing gravel that’s built up to dangerous levels in rivers.
"Hopefully this gives the local Fish & Game council a real wake-up call and they start engaging more constructively with farmers."