Quick facts
- More than 220 warranted honorary fishery officers (HFOs) work around New Zealand.
HFOs help educate recreational fishers about the rules and regulations.
Each year they do about 27,000 inspections and catch over 1,000 amateur fishers breaking the law.
Most HFOs spend about 100 hours a year in their volunteer roles.
When fully trained, they have similar powers to paid fishery officers, including the authority to search, question and seize.
All have a passion for protecting our fisheries for future generations.
Volunteer HFOs a vital part of MPI's work
Wellington HFOs with more than 70 seized pāua. The daily limit is 10. Wellington HFOs with more than 70 seized pāua. The daily limit is 10.Honorary fishery officers are volunteer warranted officers who patrol New Zealand's coastline to help preserve our fisheries.
They work alongside full-time fishery officers, helping recreational fishers understand rules and regulations.
Our HFOs are highly motivated and committed to assisting with the sustainability of New Zealand's fisheries.
They provide an important community service through their unpaid work.
Fully-trained HFOs have similar powers to full-time, paid fishery officers, including the authority to search, question and seize. To become a warranted HFO, they do comprehensive training and must pass several exams.
Duties are a mix of education and compliance
HFO duties include:
- educating people about fishing rules and encouraging voluntary compliance
- investigating suspicious behaviour and gathering information on people breaking fishing rules and regulations
- doing patrols, and checking fishers are following the rules
- detecting and apprehending offenders and helping their successful prosecution.
Want to become an HFO?
You'll need to be:
- in good health and reasonably fit
- able to commit to working about 100 hours a year
- professional, enthusiastic, and an excellent communicator
- passionate about protecting the New Zealand fishery for future generations.
Many volunteers also have a background in fishing and speak languages used by their communities.
Find out more – check the job descriptionFind out more – check the job description
Complete your application
If you think you have the skills we're looking for and want to join the team, complete the application form and return it to your nearest MPI office, or email it to HFO@mpi.govt.nz.
HFO application formHFO application form
Next step – extensive training
If your application is successful, you'll get extensive formal training to help you do your job. You'll spend about 80 hours patrolling and training under close supervision before becoming a warranted HFO.
Meet some of our volunteers
Find out what motivates them to take on a sometimes confrontational role, working for free and in many cases using up their annual leave.
Dan Ellis – 15+ years as an HFO
Dan is Wellington's most active HFO. Dan is Wellington's most active HFO.Dan is an ex Territorial Force Army sergeant with over 20 years' service and a member of a local search and rescue organisation. He's the most active HFO in the Wellington region, often patrolling weekdays after work and about 4 weekend days a month.
He says he's passionate about preserving our fisheries for future generations and is a diver and fisher himself.
Dennis Karauna – 10+ years in the role
Dennis is an avid fisherman and diver, who is passionate about sustainable fishing. Dennis is an avid fisherman and diver, who is passionate about sustainable fishing.Also in Wellington, Dennis patrols 1 to 2 weekends a month. Dennis originates from Opotiki in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and is an avid fisherman and diver who says volunteering is about giving his time to the community to protect our valuable resource. Dennis is passionate about the sustainability of all things from the sea so that his children and their children can get to enjoy it too. He likes interacting with the public who are out enjoying our beautiful coastline and educating them about sustainable fishing.
Barry Nicolle – 2+ years volunteering
Barry puts in up to 60 hours a month. Barry puts in up to 60 hours a month.If you've ventured to Jackson Bay, at the southern end of the West Coast, you may have come across Barry – the resident HFO.
He's been putting in up to 60 hours a month helping educate locals and visitors and enforcing the recreational fishing rules.
He says he's motivated by the need to protect our fisheries for future generations.
HFOs in the news
- Nancy Collis, protecting NZ waters from illegal fishing – Stuff website
- Honorary fishery officers busy on the coast – Facebook
- Busy weekend patrolling fishing in Kaikoura
- Joint MPI and police patrol in Bay of Islands
- Ute seized in fisheries bust
- Fisher caught with 30 undersized snapper
- Training weekend bags illegal paua haul
Find out more
Who to contact
If you have questions about honorary fishery officers, email HFO@mpi.govt.nz .