Hunters and fishermen are welcoming more attention on public access to the great outdoors

The Outdoor Access Commission's first annual report highlights the North Island has about three-quarters of the population, but only about a quarter of its publicly accessible land.

Challenges include some publicly accessible land not being visible on digital maps - and a lack of a national framework for assessing access.

Fish and Game Chief Operating Officer Richie Cosgrove says it's a top concern for members.

He says in their own survey 20 percent said they felt access had reduced over the time of their licence.