Kia ora Friend,
It was encouraging to see more than 500 people who care about the marine environment, diving, and fishing make a submission on the future management of crayfish along the upper east coast of the North Island. Thank you to everyone who took the time to write a submission on these important issues. LegaSea and the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council also put forward a strong case for restoring crayfish abundance – you can read our submission here.
But while we await the Minister's decision, the reality is that we've got even bigger fish to fight. This goes beyond crayfish – it's about the way we manage our coastal fisheries as a whole.
Right now, that right to catch and share seafood is under threat. The Minister for Oceans and Fisheries has put forward reforms that could tip the balance further in favour of large commercial interests, while weakening the safeguards that protect our marine environment. We want to make sure every Kiwi has a fair chance to keep seafood on the table, now and in the future – and that means being vocal, standing together, and making our views known.
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Reform of fisheries, is licensing next? |
Photo by Edwin Judd
Shane Jones, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, is pushing fisheries reform. Around 70 percent of New Zealanders also want reform, but their reasons couldn't be further apart.
A majority of Kiwis want fisheries reform fit for the 21st century. They want changes so fish populations can grow more abundant. No surprise, as more fish in the water and a thriving marine environment contributes to our communal wellbeing. As a self-proclaimed apostle for the fishing industry, the Minister has put forward proposals to remove regulations he claims are "unnecessarily restricting utilisation" of fish stocks for commercial gain. Behind the rhetoric, the reforms would weaken environmental standards and enable higher commercial catch limits to increase exports, while restricting public input.
This completely disregards the fact that the fish swimming in New Zealand's waters belong to us all.
And looming in the background, his reforms open the door to licensing recreational fishers.
Read more here. |
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Minister's proposal weakens fisheries law |
Photo by Anna Lofi
The future of our fisheries is on the line. Minister Shane Jones' latest proposal to amend the Fisheries Act might sound like a tidy bit of housekeeping, but in reality, it's about stripping away environmental protections that safeguard our oceans. If this change goes through, catch limits could be set with less accountability, leaving fish populations – and the ecosystems they depend on – even more vulnerable.
This isn't just a policy tweak. It's a deliberate weakening of the Fisheries Act, drafted hand-in-hand with commercial interests, with little public consultation. Our marine environment is already under pressure from destructive fishing methods, habitat loss and declining stocks. Now is not the time to loosen the rules so decision-makers can look the other way.
Read the full article to understand what's at stake and why LegaSea and the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council are pushing back. |
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Quick facts about the Fisheries Act reforms |
🏴☠️ What are the next steps for Fisheries Act reforms?
The first round of public consultation closed on 11 April 2025. Despite 95% of submissions received by Fisheries NZ opposing the proposed 'reforms', Cabinet has agreed to proceed with the Minister's proposed changes. Policy advisors are now drafting an Amendment Bill, which is expected to go before a Select Committee by December 2025. We will only get one chance to have a say, that's at the Select Committee stage. Our reality is that the proposed changes could be locked into legislation by mid-2026.
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🏴☠️ Can we defeat the Fisheries Act reforms?
Yes! Over the past 25 years, previous Ministers have attempted to introduce similar policies more than five times but due to immense public backlash they have not succeeded. |
🏴☠️ Who developed the proposed reforms?
Commercial fishing industry representatives spent a year developing a wishlist of changes. The Minister directed Fisheries New Zealand to work with the representatives to develop a proposal package for public consultation. Recreational fishing and environmental representatives were not invited to participate in discussions. |
Click here for more FAQs on the Fisheries Act reforms. |
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October 'unsustainability' round decisions |
Twice a year, Fisheries New Zealand's "Sustainability Rounds" provide a critical opportunity to adjust catch limits, assess fisheries management, and ensure the long-term health of our marine environment. As part of these reviews the Minister is obliged to consult with the public who can provide input on any proposed changes. The Minister for Oceans and Fisheries makes the final decision. In July, we supported submissions by the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council for 14 fish stocks around New Zealand including, blue cod, snapper, pāua and blue mackerel. The final decisions made by Minister Shane Jones support his vocal position, exports first, sustainability last. We aren't surprised, just disappointed.
The range of decisions include increases to commercial catch limits, recreational daily bag limit changes for blue cod, and maintaining the status quo for vulnerable baitfish species.
You can see a full list of decisions here. |
Click image for larger version. |
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Restoring the iconic Coromandel scallops |
Photo by Etoile Smulders
Last weekend the Optio Bay, Coromandel community gathered under the sun to celebrate the completion of an exciting new pilot project, aimed at restoring the iconic Coromandel scallops.
Ngāti Hei, Logan Marine Projects, and the Optio Bay Ratepayers Association have been working together to capture and grow scallop spat, with the objective of reseeding juvenile scallops around selected scallop beds. It's a beautiful thing to see a community coming together with a shared vision to restore abundance. Ka pai to everyone involved. We look forward to seeing how Phase Two of the project develops.
You can read more about the project in The Informer article here.
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Kai Ika filleting is back for summer at Z Pier |
From this week, our crew will be on-site Fridays through Sundays (weather depending) to help you make the most of your catch. Heading out on a charter outside those days? Give us a bell on 027 305 2520 and we'll see what we can do.
New this season – our scaler is ready to roll, perfect if you like your fillets skin-on. We can also prep your fish for the smoker, or just gut and gill whole fish so they're BBQ-ready.
Don't forget to bring your own containers for fillets. If you leave them behind, we'll have Sistema containers available to buy.
And while you're at it – crush your empty cans and drop them at the Kai Ika trailer in the Z Pier carpark. Every can helps us raise funds to keep the project humming. Every fish we process is fully used, with heads and frames shared with the community. Nothing wasted – this is conservation in action. |
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Ever helped someone in trouble on the water?
Your story could save lives. |
AUT, with support from the Safer Boating Forum, is running a new study on the role of recreational boaties in "informal aquatic rescues" around New Zealand.
If you've been out on the water in the last five years, they want to hear from you. The survey only takes 10 - 15 minutes and it's anonymous. Your insights will guide future safety initiatives and training for Kiwi boaties.
Start the survey. |
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In the News...
Why New Zealand's most famous fisherman is telling people to 'order the chicken'
Matt Watson sat down with Brodie Kane on her @Kiwi Yarns podcast for an unfiltered hour on the state of our fisheries. He questioned whether the government is using the quota management system to give too much power to too few people, and whether "sustainable seafood" is more greenwashing and creative marketing than a reality. Stuff, September 2025 |
We loved hāpuku too much. Now we have a second chance For over a century, we hammered hāpuku. We hit the huge fish so hard that in five decades of underwater exploring, filmmaker Andrew Penniket had encountered them only once. Oceans photographer Richard Robinson had not seen a hāpuku at all, and not for want of trying. Until this winter, when the two made a remarkable trip to Fiordland.
Andrew Penniket, NZ Geographic, September 2025 |
Filleting fish and feeding communities The All Blacks may have been filleted by the Springboks in Wellington last weekend, but they've been helping out slicing and dicing fish in Auckland to promote a project supporting food security. The Post, September 2025 |
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LegaSea is proudly supported by its Gold and Platinum partners: |
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