Free app adds to fisheries conservation data

The Fish4All app, available on iPhone and Android, was launched by Kiwi recreational fishers Tony Craig and John Murphy in 2014. Photo / Supplied

Kiwi anglers will be able to log their catch this summer - and contribute to data around our fish stocks - thanks to a free app.

The Fish4All app, available on iPhone and Android, was launched by Kiwi recreational fishers Tony Craig and John Murphy in 2014.

It's now been relaunched as a new version, which enables out-of-cell-coverage data entry and recreational fishers to record where, when and how many fish they catch, and added more fish species to report against.

"As well as being a great digital fishing tool, every time you log your catch, you're also helping create greater insight into New Zealand's fish stocks by building the data critically needed to manage our fisheries," Craig said.

Fish4All has also established the Fish4All Charitable Trust to manage and protect the data that is generated by users, ensuring it's available exclusively by and for recreational fishing interests.

"New Zealand has more than 600,000 recreational fishers who are mad about the sport," Craig said.

"And we've got more than four million other Kiwis who don't go fishing but would probably like to think that communal resource is being fished responsibly."

The app has been welcomed by community fishing organisations including iwi groups such as Te Korowai, the Kaikoura Coastal Marine Guardians, whose facilitator Peter Lawless said it was essential to getting good information on recreational fishing on the Kaikoura coast.

"We are encouraging all our recreational fishers to use the app. The kids in our Curious Minds programme have been helping and showing their elders that the new technology can be friendly rather than frightening."

Craig said the next step was to work with users to develop the fishing diary section, so each user will have their own easy access records that they could look up and see where they were fishing, bait they were using, weather condition, tide times - at the very same time each year.