Kia ora Friend,
This month feels like a turning point. The push to commercialise marlin has taken centre stage, a reminder of how quickly protections can be chipped away and how easily history can repeat itself if we let it. Alongside that, the government's wider regulatory package has arrived, packed with 19 proposals that tilt the balance even further in favour of commercial interests.
At the same time, Kiwis are stepping up. The One Ocean protest is building real momentum, and voices from across the country are calling for fair rules, healthier fisheries, and decisions that put the public first. We have also released a new video conversation with Barry Torkington, whose lifetime of experience in the Hauraki Gulf adds valuable context to how we got to where we are today and where things may head if we do nothing.
Submissions on marlin and 18 other proposals close on 28 November.
The next few weeks matter. |
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First Swordfish, now Marlin |
History is looping back on us. In the 1990s, weak "bycatch only" rules saw commercial swordfish landings skyrocket, loopholes exploited, and the government eventually rewarded the behaviour instead of stopping it. Broadbill swordfish are now a Quota Management System species.
Now the same playbook is being pulled out for marlin. A species that has never been commercial, protected since 1991, and defended fiercely by the public. Officials are calling those protections "redundant", but we know exactly what happens when this door is cracked open. We've seen this before. We can't afford a repeat.
Read the full story here and click here to make a submission. |
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🦈 What's the problem with commercial fishers selling marlin that's already dead?
Our concerns lie with the fact that allowing dead marlin to be sold will change commercial fishers' behaviours. Currently because the regulation prohibits dead marlin to be sold, they aren't worth anything to the fishers, giving them little incentive for bringing aboard dead marlin. If this regulation is revoked there is a strong incentive for commercial fishers to report more dead fish, which means they could land and sell them. Why do we know this? At the end of the Billfish Moratorium in 1991, broadbill caught as bycatch were allowed to be kept on the basis that they were dead. Since then, catches increased and the bycatch provisions were blatantly ignored. Broadbill is now in the Quota Management System with regular commercial catches from northern waters. We are concerned that a similar outcome could apply to marlin. Will commercial longlining practices change to ensure more striped marlin are caught with an increase in the number that arrive on the boat dead?
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🦈 Are marlin a part of the Quota Management System?
Marlin is not a part of the Quota Management System. All marlin are a solely non-commercial species. The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council and LegaSea support marlin remaining a recreational fishery. Since 1991 there has been a regulation in place that protects marlin from being kept and sold by commercial fishers. |
🦈 How many marlin are currently caught by commercial fishers?
Since monitoring cameras were installed, 20 vessels have reported returning to the sea 635 marlin, total weight around 50 tonnes. Fisheries NZ advises commercial fishers report around 75% of the marlin hooked are alive when brought to the boat. This means an estimated 25% of the marlin that are brought to the boat are dead. These 25% are the fish they want to land and sell. Currently, all marlin must be released back to the sea. |
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The New Zealand fishing community has come together to form the One Ocean Protest happening this Saturday 22 November in Auckland. The Protest reflects a growing tide of concern from everyday Kiwis who are frustrated with declining fish abundance, ongoing habitat damage, and a failed Quota Management System that prioritises industrial extraction over genuine restoration.
While LegaSea is not organising the protest, we encourage any keen fishers, divers or people who care about the marine environment to head along and show their support and distaste in recent government proposals.
This is your chance to let the government know that the interests of the public and a healthy marine environment must come first.
Head to the One Ocean Protest Facebook page for more information. |
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No free lunch when it comes to fishing |
Photo by Chris Maraj
Over 20 years ago a recreational fishing stalwart, Bill Cooke, used to call out officials and the Minister as working for the Ministry of Commercial Fisheries. He was offended that management proposals were designed to provide extra benefits for commercial interests at the expense of the public and marine environment. If Bill was still alive to read the latest proposals, he would feel vindicated. Fisheries New Zealand has released a package of 19 changes to commercial fishing regulations, most have been proposed by industry representatives. Submissions are due by 28 November. At least six of the proposals could have a significant impact on the marine environment or recreational fishing interests. One potentially threatens the economic viability of coastal towns and the tackle industry if marlin are commercialised.
Our fisheries management team at the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council has been flat out trying to understand what the proposals mean and which ones are worth focusing on, and which may have to be ignored due to the limited submission period. The team cannot ignore the threat to the high-value marlin fisheries if commercial fishers are permitted to land marlin that are 'dead' when brought to the boat.
Another that cannot be ignored is the proposal to allow trawlers, bottom longliners and Danish seiners to take any of 19 reef fish species currently protected from commercial harvest in waters surrounding the upper North Island. There's good reasons why these fish are protected from exploitation - they are crucial to maintaining healthy coastal ecosystems.
Officials and commercial interests are promoting the reef fish, marlin and other proposals on the basis of reducing waste. Yet in February this year the Minister and industry leaders were proposing legislative changes to allow commercial fishers to toss more fish over the side, dead or alive, on the basis that they were going back into the ecosystem. In other words, a free lunch for browsing fish.
But we know there's no such thing as a free lunch, especially when it comes to looking under the blanket to see what the proposals really mean for the future of our fisheries. We've got a lot of work to do between now and the deadline. One thing's for sure. At least our submission will be promoting abundance, marine biodiversity, and a fair go for all Kiwis. Let's feed Kiwis first.
Fisheries New Zealand proposals here.
Click here to make a submission opposing the commercial exploitation of marlin and reef fish.
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Barry Torkington on the Hauraki Gulf |
You can't find many people more knowledgeable about fisheries and the Hauraki Gulf than Barry Torkington. Growing up in a commercial fishing family at Ti Point in the 1950s, Barry has done and seen it all. From working on his Dad's crayfishing boat, to being a Director at Leigh Fisheries, to writing an alternative policy for managing New Zealand's fisheries, Barry is a highly knowledgeable fisheries strategist who has freely advised multiple fishery ministers over the last 20 years. He's also witnessed the decline in the Gulf, first hand.
Mike Plant from the NZ Sport Fishing Council sat down with Barry to pick his brains about the issues we face in the Hauraki Marine Park and New Zealand as a whole. It's insightful, educational, and totally worth a listen.
Watch it on YouTube or listen to it here, or wherever you get your podcasts, by searching for 'NZSFC'.
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Auckland Boat show special |
The 25th Auckland Boat Show is a great reminder of why we need to keep up the momentum to restore our fisheries. Boating is a big part of the New Zealand way of life — and nowhere do we see more of them, all in one place, than at the Auckland Boat Show. Kiwis love getting out on the water, catching a fish, and sharing that experience with friends and family. We don't want that to end with our generation.
At the show, we'll be talking face to face with thousands of you about what abundance, biodiversity, and a healthy marine environment mean — and why change is needed today, so we can all enjoy these experiences tomorrow.
The 25th Auckland Boat Show takes place 5 - 8 March 2026 at the Viaduct Events Centre. Use the code LEGASEA10 to enjoy 10% off tickets before Sunday 14th December. Get your tickets here. |
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In the News... One Ocean Protest builds momentum as LegaSea pushes for fair fishing rules The debate surrounding the Hauraki Gulf reaches an important moment this week with the first ever One Ocean Protest taking place on Saturday. The event is expected to gather a wide mix of recreational fishers, boaties, divers, paddlers and small scale commercial fishers who share one message: the rules must be fair and the Gulf deserves better protection.
Chris Woodhams, Boating NZ, November 2025 |
The Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Act: A broken promise
Trouble is brewing across the fishing community due to the new "protection areas" that limit public fishing in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Some groups are celebrating the passing of the Marine Protection Bill enabling these new areas. We feel anger, sadness and disappointment. What was intended to be a well-rounded, restorative plan has fallen short of any meaningful change.
Fishing in Godzone, November 2025 |
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LegaSea is proudly supported by its Gold and Platinum partners: |
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