About FNZAS
Why are we here?
We are here to help people enjoy the fishkeeping hobby by supporting fishkeepers, improving fishkeeping practices, and by promoting fishkeeping as a hobby.
Who are we?
We are a group of aquarists dedicated to supporting and promoting fishkeeping as a hobby both in our local communities, and globally with regard to conservation of species and their environments. We are founded and run by the Federation of New Zealand Aquatic Societies (FNZAS), an organisation with a long history of representing aquarium societies in New Zealand. We are dedicated to the improvement of the aquarium and fishkeeping hobby.
FNZAS Executive Committee
President: Maxine Lynch
Vice President: Mark McElhinney
Secretary: Michael Wilson
Treasurer: Patricia Lynch
Editor: Darren Stevens
Breeding Coordinator / Committee Member: Aaron Gabb
Officer information updated 8 October 2026.
What do we have to offer?
We are a source for NZ fishkeeping hobby/aquarium related information including databases of allowed tropical fauna imports, freshwater and marine NZ native fish species; NZ native aquatic plant species; and NZ biosecurity issues that affect aquatic hobbyists. We offer a number of educational resources including best-practice guides to sustainable fishkeeping, aquatic forums, and resources where fishkeepers' can search for more information.
We are recognized by government organisations as a stakeholder and represent aquatic hobbyists in New Zealand at a national level to groups such as the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric research (NIWA), the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), and Department of Conservation (DOC). We also represent hobbyists at a local level by promoting fishkeeping clubs, aquatic rescue organisations, and tradespeople & retailers who supply our hobby.
Our flagship publication: (Aquarium World Magazine) offers readers a view of fishkeeping in New Zealand that is both relevant, and interesting at a local and global level. The first edition of the magazine was published March 1953 and consisted of 16 pages (inc covers) with 6 of them advertising.