A freshwater angling group who want to stop commercial rafting on a Southland river have revised the amount they are trying to crowd fund, but they have vowed to continue their fight. The NZ Southern Rivers Board is seeking a judicial review of the Gore District Council's decision to grant resource consent to a commercial rafting operation on the Mataura and Oreti rivers. "We are focused upon the point of legal principle, which is that affected people should be entitled to participate in bureaucratic decisions that seriously affect them," NZ Southern Rivers Board chairman Don Wallace said. READ MORE:* Angling group seeks funds to fight rafting consent on Southland rivers* Tension rising on NZ rivers between wealthy tourists and Southlanders over competition for fishing spots* Anglers seeking review of rafting operation consent on Southland rivers* Rafting operation approved on Southland riversThe total sought had now been revised to $60,000, and it had received more than $5000. The council granted the rafting operation a non-notified consent in November 2019.

Source: Stuff April 12, 2020 23:03 UTC