The move has been welcomed by federation president Katie Milne who says she is looking forward to meeting the organisation’s leadership and ending what she calls the blame game.
Fish and Game’s council decided at its May meeting to extend the olive branch, after a tumultuous six months.
In November it instructed chief executive Martin Taylor and staff not to make negative media statements about farmers and last month Lindsay Lyons was unexpectantly toppled as chairman.
He held the role for six years and was replaced by Paul Shortis in an extraordinary election.
Earlier this month Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage announced a review of the organisation, which is largely unchanged since it was formed in 1990.
At this month’s meeting, held online, councillors were overwhelmingly of the view targeted attacks on farming for causing water degradation were counterproductive and ignored other causes of pollution.
Bill O’Leary from Nelson-Marlborough says such antagonism alienated a large section of potential licence holders but also angered landowners who responded by denying access to anglers and duck shooters.
Sediment and slash from forestry are bigger polluters in his area than farming and drainage from new urban development and substandard sewage systems in Canterbury are also significant contributors.
It is unfair to pick on the failings of some and not praise those farmers who are performing well, O’Leary said.
“The issue is not whether we advocate but a question of how we advocate and the message that goes out publicly is one that Fish and Game takes an equitable approach in apportioning blame and is equitable also in highlighting good practice.”
Dan Isbister, from the central South Island region, says most farmers comply with their consents yet their activities are degrading rivers, which is an issue for central Government and regional councils.
“If people are complying but the effects are still polluting waterways then there is something wrong with the rules.”
The Dirty Dairy campaign, a label councillors say was founded by media, has run its course but Fish and Game still has a role advocating for improved freshwater quality, Shortis said.
“We need to change our emphasis slightly, tone down the general criticism of farming and soften that approach.
“It is getting not only farmers’ backs up but other peoples’ backs up as well.
“Any effective advantage the organisation may get is diminished if you have the general population saying ‘here is Fish and Game beating down again about farming’.”
Greater scrutiny should be taken of regional councils as gatekeepers of the Resource Management Act.
Taylor defended criticism of farming saying it was based on fact.
Farmers who adopted best practice and were not lowering water quality were praised and the organisation was critical of poor-performing regional councils.
Taylor says a recent survey of members shows overwhelming support for the organisation advocating for freshwater and criticising farmers where warranted.
“There is a clear steer from the Colmar Brunton survey that anglers expect us to advocate hard for freshwater by being able to mention dairy farming as a cause of some pollution in our rural areas, particularly in Taranaki, Canterbury and Southland.
“It is an important part of our role representing licence holders.”
The council agreed to remove what Shortis called a gagging order on Taylor talking in the media but urged him to show restraint and to focus on all sources of pollution.
Councillors also agreed to develop a national advocacy strategy and to approach Federated Farmers to see if they can work together.
“As an organisation we spend lots of money in the Environment Court and on regional plan hearings and we turn up with the same people from Federated Farmers,” Shortis says.
“Surely we could resolve a number of issues before we get to the Environment Court or regional plan hearings.”
