Tony Entwistle's Gold Medal

Tony Entwistle - Fish & Game Gold Medal Award

Gold Medal Award: Tony Entwistle receives his Gold Medal Award from Fish & Game National Director, Bryce Johnson, Wellington (L), and Nelson/ Marlborough Fish & Game Manager, Neil Deans (R).

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One that didn’t get away

© The Nelson Mail, 3 April 2007

After 27 years of guiding trout anglers in Nelson, Tony Entwistle says he still feels privileged each time he steps into the region’s rivers.

Fish & Game national director Bryce Johnson presented Mr Entwistle with a national gold award at Club Waimea last night, in recognition of his ongoing contribution to fishing and better water resource management.

But Mr Entwistle said he could not take all the credit for the award, as many people had influenced him in his guiding and river conservation work over the years.

All users or rivers and waterways had a responsibility to protect them, and Mr Entwistle said he had never realised his work would be recognised in such a way.

“Sometimes it is depressing to be so close to a resource that is being overused and raped and pillaged, but you have got to give back.”

Mr Entwistle said he had worked on water conservation orders for the Buller and Motueka rivers, and assisted the Cawthron Institute and Fish & Game on angling studies in the past.

Nelson Marlborough Fish & Game manager Neil Deans said the society had received nearly 30 nominations from around the country for the award.

He said while Mr Entwistle, a former member of the New Zealand fly fishing team, was an excellent angler and guide in his own right, he had also worked tirelessly with Fish & Game for better management of rivers.

He had volunteered his time and expertise to speak at numerous conservation hearings, and Mr Deans said his hard work deserved to be recognised and celebrated.

Anglers across the region would recognise Mr Entwistle for his pioneering work in brown trout fishing, his previous ownership of Nelson’s Hunting & Fishing store, and his on-going voluntary work with Fish & Game, Mr Deans said.

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Outstanding Contribution

 

© Fish & Game News, Nelson / Marlborough Newsletter, Autumn 2007 #33

Nice Catch: Nelson Fishing Guide Tony Entwistle, right, receives a New Zealand Fish & Game Council Gold Medal Award from Chief Executive Bryce Johnson.

Well known and respected local angler and fishing guide Tony Entwistle has been recognised by Fish & Game New Zealand with a national ‘Gold Award’, one of only 4 issued this year. This is the highest honour which Fish & Game can award, in recognition of Tony’s outstanding contribution to Fish and Game and angling and hunting over many years.
Tony was a Councillor of the former Nelson Acclimatisation Society and briefly a Councillor on the Nelson Marlborough Fish and Game Council until he could not attend as many meetings as he felt he should. In addition to this he appeared as an expert angling witness for Fish and Game in numerous Water Conservation Order hearings, particularly for the Buller and Motueka. His evidence was hugely assisted by his detailed record keeping and keen eye for what is driving fish numbers and fishing opportunities, as well as an excellent overview of the fishing opportunity in the country and further afield.

Tony has assisted with research into fisheries, particularly with the Cawthron Institute into fish catchability, which was recognised internationally. Tony has represented New Zealand in our national Fly Fishing team in international competitions. He has always enjoyed working with people and helping them into our sports. He has voluntarily run free fishing clinics in conjunction with Fish and Game and angling clubs for well over 10 years, has supported local fishing and hunting clubs and has represented fishing interests at a national level through the New Zealand Professional Fishing Guides Association.

Tony has always had the best interests of the ordinary angler and hunter and the fishing and hunting resource at heart, rather than any narrow sectoral interest. He was nominated for this award by Stuart Mirfin and will be presented with his Gold Award at a public ceremony in March.

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