Kia ora Friend,
Money and fish are running out. We need you more than ever right now because we've just emptied the tank responding to a raft of Fisheries New Zealand proposals that do not prioritise fish abundance. If we don't have abundant fish stocks we cannot share the joy of fishing and feeding our families nutritious food.
LegaSea is the public outreach arm of the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council and together we have advocated that the tarakihi fishery is so depleted that drastic and immediate action is required. The Minister either closes the fisheries to all fishing or reduces commercial allocations to bycatch-only levels. That is the quickest way to get a meaningful return to abundance on both the east and west coasts of the country.
If our organisations hadn't been active over the past 25 years, who would have challenged decisions that didn't make sense? Who would have stood up for kahawai in court, pushed for cameras on commercial fishing boats, defended marlin and reef fish, fought for better management of the Hauraki Gulf, opposed the Fisheries Amendment Bill, backed SeaChange, or recovered more than 600 tonnes of fish for Kiwi families through the Kai Ika Project?
Who knows?
What we do know is that none of those things happened by accident. They happened because thousands of New Zealanders have backed the team of specialists prepared to engage and participate in almost every fisheries management process, read and critique the endless, complex technical papers, write the remarkable and irrefutable submissions that have become our signature trademark, challenge poor decisions and, when necessary, take legal action.
Right now we desperately need you to stand alongside us.
Every submission we don't write, every meeting we can't attend, and every campaign we can't run is another opportunity to improve the future of our fisheries that slips by. We know decisions are being made that deserve more scrutiny than we're currently able to give them.
This year alone, there have been more than 40 fisheries reviews, local closure applications and consultation processes. We only had the time and resources to respond to around 20 of them. Not because the others weren't important, but because we simply couldn't afford to do more.
That's the reality of being an independent and public-facing organisation. Every submission we don't write, every meeting we can't attend, and every campaign we can't run is another opportunity to improve the future of our fisheries that slips by. We know there are decisions being made that deserve more scrutiny than we're currently able to give them. That's why we're asking for your help. |
Photo by Kathryn McLachlan .
100% of every dollar you contribute to LegaSea is invested in our critically important advocacy. This means more submissions, more public campaigns, more legal challenges when they're needed, and more time spent holding decision-makers to account. Quite simply, the more support we have, the more we can do.
If LegaSea has ever helped you understand an issue, inspired you to make a submission, or simply given you confidence that someone is looking out for the future of our fisheries, we'd love you to stand with us.
Become a LegaSea Legend for $20 a month, donate to Guardians of the Sea, become a Works or Gold Partner, support The Kai Ika Project through our can collection programme, or make a one-off donation. However you choose to help, you're helping make sure there's still an independent voice standing up for healthy, abundant fisheries on behalf of all New Zealanders.
Because if the last 25 years have taught us anything, it's that healthy fisheries don't happen on their own.
Please, help us to sustain our fish and you. |
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There are a number of ways you can help LegaSea out. Choose the one that suits you the best. | |
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| Become a LegaSea Legend
From just $20 a month, you can become a LegaSea Legend and help fund the work happening behind the scenes. That means submissions, research, advocacy and, when needed, taking the fight to court. As a Legend, you'll also receive exclusive updates and a welcome pack so you can see the impact you're helping make. If a monthly commitment isn't for you, a one-off donation is also just as appreciated. Every dollar goes straight back into protecting New Zealand's coastal fisheries.
Become a Legend here! |
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Become a Works Partner
We're building a network of businesses prepared to help us stand up and advocate for more fish in the water. For $500 + GST a year, Works Partners receive recognition for backing the cause, along with a limited edition signed print as a thank you for being part of the fight. Click here for more. |
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| Building LegaSea
Fishing and the construction industry have always gone hand in hand. Building Partners brings together tradies, builders, and construction businesses that want to help protect the fisheries they enjoy on weekends. It's a practical way for your business to get behind healthier, more abundant fisheries for future generations. Become a Building Partner.
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Gold and Platinum Sponsorship
If your business relies on people getting out on the water - boats, tackle, marine gear - a healthy, abundant fishery isn't just a cause, it's core to your bottom line. Gold ($10,000+GST) and Platinum ($25,000+GST) Partners get premium brand recognition across LegaSea's channels while backing the advocacy that keeps their customers fishing. Find out more here.
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Guardians of the Sea Charitable Trust
For significant one off donations, you might consider donating through the Guardians of the Sea Trust. The Guardians mission is to achieve 'more fish in the water' through promoting excellence in sustainable management and to promote co-operation between all stakeholders in shared fisheries. They fund many important marine initiatives and have supported LegaSea many times. Find out more here or email us at info@legasea.co.nz to discuss.
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Donate to Kai Ika Since 2016, the Kai Ika Project, a LegaSea initiative, has turned fish heads and frames that would otherwise have gone to waste into more than 600 tonnes of nutritious kai for communities across Auckland and Wellington.
Donate here. |
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Quick Facts about LegaSea donations |
🦈 How is my donation being used?
Every dollar you give goes towards restoring the health of our coastal fisheries for future generations. That means funding advocacy work like raising public awareness about the risks of the Fisheries Amendment Bill, submissions on fisheries management decisions, and campaigns that push back when our fisheries are under threat. It also supports community outreach so more Kiwis understand what's at stake, plus the admin costs that keep LegaSea running day to day. Nothing goes to waste. Every part of the operation is focused on ensuring there is more fish in the water so we can enjoy gathering kaimoana to share with our family and friends.
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🦈 How do I know it will be used this way?
We don't just ask you to take our word for it. LegaSea is audited every year, and we upload these financials alongside quarterly accountability reports on our website so you can see exactly where donations are going. Transparency isn't an afterthought for us, it's built into how we operate. Check out our financials and accountability reports here.
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🦈 What happens if I can only give a small amount, does it still matter?
Absolutely, yes. LegaSea is backed by a community of recreational fishers and Kiwis who care about the marine environment, and it's the combined support of thousands of small donations that gives us the strength to take on advocacy battles we can't fight alone. Whether it's 5 dollars or 500, every contribution adds to a collective voice that decision makers can't ignore. |
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New Podcast out now - Swept away at Papanui Point |
Saturday 25th was World Drowning Prevention Day and the new episode from the NZ Sport Fishing Council's Pod and Reel podcast series, featuring Baz's remarkable survival story, is live now. Baz was swept from the rocks while fishing at Papanui Point. Against the odds, he survived and swam back to shore. In this episode, we sit down with drowning researcher Josh Carmine and Waikato Open Spaces Manager Glyn Morgan to unpack exactly what happened, what went right, and the lessons every land-based fisher needs to hear. This year alone, six people have drowned while fishing from land in New Zealand. The advice is simple. Wear a lifejacket. Check the swell and weather. Never fish alone. Make sure someone knows where you're going and when you'll be back. And if it's too gnarly call it a trip early and spare the risk. Listen to it here.
Share this with your fishing mates. It could save a life. |
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Turning the Tide - A night at the OBC |
The ocean floor doesn't need to be a casualty of dinner.
Join us for an evening on one of the most pressing issues in ocean conservation: bottom trawling and scallop dredging. For decades, what happens on the seafloor has been out of sight, out of mind. It's time we asked why we're still fishing this way.
Jono Ridler swam the length of the North Island. LegaSea's Sam Woolford has spent decades fighting for better fisheries. The Opportunity Party's Dan Eb is putting oceans on the ballot this November. Three different perspectives, one cause - now sharing a stage.
Jono's swim got people talking. With the election weeks away, this is the moment to bring these voices together and ask: what will it take to finish the job?
This isn't a lecture on what's wrong, it's a room full of people raising awareness and pushing for solutions.
Join Jono Ridler, Sam Woolford and Dan Eb at the OBC Clubrooms, MC'd by Mike Plant of the NZ Sport Fishing Council. See what fishing could look like when we work with the seafloor, not against it.
Thursday 13 Aug, 6:15pm - 9pm at the Outboard Boating Club, Auckland.
Click here for more information and to secure your place. There is no charge for this event. |
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LegaSea is proudly supported by its Gold and Platinum partners: |
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