Photo by Irene Middleton

Kia ora Friend,

Our fisheries management team has been working hard out! With an unprecedented 20 fishery proposals for the October review round, the team put in the hard mahi to complete submissions on 15 fish stocks. An incredible effort!
 
But, how can Fisheries New Zealand seriously expect the New Zealand public to be able to have meaningful input into so many fisheries proposals in such a short time? One might speculate that the timetable was designed to limit public engagement.
 
With so many proposals to increase the commercial harvest of important species including, west coast snapper, kingfish, pāua and Jack mackerel, it's not right that Fisheries NZ makes it incredibly difficult for us to have our say. 

If you would like to share this newsletter with your friends and whānau, click here to post a link on Facebook, or here to go to the online version of the email you can then share.

October Sustainability Round

It was a dry July for some people. For our team however, it was full-on submission writing. Fifteen submissions in 21 working days is a record for us. And that wasn't all of them! We just didn't have time to get to the other five proposals from Fisheries New Zealand. 

A message for Fisheries NZ - the 21-day submission period is not consultation. It's not good enough. While it's okay for the officials and it serves commercial interests, we were popping to get through them all. After a massive team effort we did it.

If you have an interest in fish south of East Cape, on the west coast of the North Island or anywhere around the South Island, this will interest you. A line-up of the species and submission details are available here. 

Life First Kiwi Saver Offer

We're constantly inspired by the amazing support we get from the public and our partners. It's your dedication that keeps us going strong in our mission to restore our fisheries and secure them for future generations. We can't thank you enough for being part of this journey.

Speaking of incredible partners, we're excited to introduce LifeFirst. They're not just about helping people with their KiwiSaver – they're also committed to supporting our coastal fisheries.

LifeFirst has a great track record of helping Kiwis potentially gain thousands more from their KiwiSaver investments.

Now, they want to extend that support to LegaSea followers like you. The best part? You can get your KiwiSaver sorted at no cost, and LifeFirst will give back 30% of their commission to LegaSea. It's a win-win for everyone!

And here's some more good news: LifeFirst is now an official Gold Partner of LegaSea. We're thrilled to have them on board!

So, if you're looking to build your financial future and support our mission at the same time, just click the link below, and the LifeFirst team will help from there.

Life First Supports LegaSea

While you build your financial freedom, help us rebuild our inshore fishery!

The LegaSea Partner's Workshop 2024

"The strength of a non-profit ought not to be measured by the size of its budget but the power of its partnerships."

Last Thursday, we were extremely proud to bring together all the LegaSea Partners under one roof to thank them for their support and provide an update on what we've been working on. 

We were inspired by our partners' enthusiasm and desire to do more. Our partners have made LegaSea a significant part of their social responsibility to help protect what Kiwis love—our oceans and our fish.

If you want to join this wonderful family of partners please reach out to dallas@legasea.co.nz.  

The 2024 Whitianga Oceans Festival

New Zealand's iconic seaside Food & Wine Festival is back for 2024, the Whitianga Oceans Festival! Saturday September 14th. 

Formerly known as the Scallop Festival, the event organisers recognised the impacts we all have on our marine environment and saw that reflected in the decline of our scallop fisheries. They decided a refresh was in order. 

Last year was the first of the rebranded Whitianga Oceans Festivals. Sustainability was at the forefront of their decision-making, and where possible, products used at the festival were sourced sustainably.

Indulge in a day of delicious food, a selection of NZ wine & beer alongside music that will get you up and grooving. Nestled in a picturesque location, the festival holds a slice of pure Coromandel goodness that you don't want to miss!

We'll be there with our good friends from Kōparepare Wines who are running a 100% campaign where ALL of the proceeds of wine sales will be donated to LegaSea to help continue our mission to increase the number of fish in our waters. 

The Kai Ika team will be there filleting all the (long-line caught only) fish that will be used throughout the day, and the unused heads and frames will be distributed throughout the community.

To purchase tickets, head to the link below. Each person who buys a ticket through this link will enter the draw to win your ticket purchase back…. And you could use that money to say, taste some delicious Kōparepare Wine :)

Get your tickets here!

We'll see you there. 

Welcome Moana Road as Our New Gold Partner!

We are thrilled to announce that Moana Road has joined LegaSea as a Gold Partner! 

Moana Road is a beloved New Zealand brand known for their stylish and practical products that capture the essence of Kiwi culture. From unique apparel and accessories to homewares, Moana Road brings a touch of nostalgia and coastal charm to everyday life.

Moana Road's passion for New Zealand's natural beauty aligns perfectly with our mission at LegaSea. They have a deep appreciation for the ocean and are enthusiastic supporters of The Kai Ika Project. This initiative focuses on reducing fish waste and promoting sustainable seafood practices by redistributing fish heads and frames to communities in need.

By partnering with LegaSea, Moana Road aims to help us make a positive impact on both the environment and our community. Their support will enable us to expand The Kai Ika Project, ensuring that more people can benefit from the fresh, healthy seafood (kaimoana) that might otherwise go to waste.

We are excited to have Moana Road on board and look forward to working together to protect our precious marine resources

Cans for Kai at Farro Fresh

We are excited to announce the launch of community can collection hubs at selected Farro Fresh stores as part of our Cans for Kai initiative!

You can now contribute directly to The Kai Ika Project by dropping off your empty aluminium drink cans at Farro Lunn Ave, Grey Lynn, or Smales Farm. While you're there, don't forget to support your local Farro store.

Collected cans are recycled by our partners Phoenix Recycling Group who pay us generously for every kilogram.

This enables us to tackle consumer waste while funding the Kai Ika Project. Every can you donate helps us provide nutritious meals to those in need at a time when we are seeing increased demand in our communities.

We invite you to join us in this initiative and spread the word to your friends and family. Together, we can make a significant impact on our community and turn cans into kai!

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Ngā mihi nui,

Benn and the LegaSea crew

LegaSea appreciates the ongoing support of our Platinum and Gold partners -

LegaSea is a wholly owned subsidiary of the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council.

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