Police have scaled back active search efforts for a fisherman missing in the Opihi River, South Canterbury.

The Timaru man was reported missing in the early hours of Friday morning after failing to return from a fishing trip the night before.

Searches north and south of the Opihi River mouth, involving LandSAR volunteers from Rakaia and South Canterbury as well as the South Canterbury Coastguard, South Canterbury Helicopters and Police Search and Rescue staff have not located the fisherman, despite finding several items associated with him.

Police are still keen for any member of the public to report sightings of items of interest as far north as Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora) to us, specifically, a grey or blue tarpaulin, a blue and white T-shirt, blue shorts, and a green plastic dinghy.

Anyone who has any information is asked to please contact Police via 105 or online at www.police.govt.nz/use-105, using ‘Update My Report’.

Please reference file number 221230/4612.