Kia ora Friend,

It must be election season as we've seen a range of fisheries plans, legislation and proposals from the government in the last few weeks. 

On Tuesday Rachel Brooking, Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, launched public consultation for the Bottom Fishing Access Zones, or trawl corridors, in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Then on Wednesday the first reading of the Hauraki Gulf / Tikapa Moana Marine Protection Bill in Parliament was to the Environmental Select Committee. This followed the release of the Hauraki Gulf FIsheries plan and the fisheries Industry Transformation plan earlier in August.

They all smell of lost opportunities, especially around the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park where we had the opportunity to finally halt decades of environmental degradation. However, ongoing bottom trawling in trawl corridors or not, will see a continuation of the Gulf's decline.

Meanwhile the passing of the Hauraki Gulf / Tikapa Moana Marine Protection Bill, which legislates 12 large High Protection Areas allowing only customary take, will establish highly divisive laws and lock up areas that would be far better off being dealt with by community-led restoration plans.

There are still opportunities to bring about positive change in the Gulf and public's voice is crucial. We'll be calling on you to help. Stand by to see how.

Happy scallop season opening... No wait!?

Normally the opening of scallop season generates a sense of excitement.  After a long, cold, dark winter the 1st September was an opportunity to dust off the dive gear and christen the new Spring with a crisp September dive... but not this year!

Late last year, Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, David Parker acknowledged the precarious state of our scallop populations. He issued an emergency closure which saw the last commercially fished scallop beds in the entire country shut.  

How did we get here? In the 36 months prior MPI had doggedly dismissed the communities' concerns that overharvest and the ongoing use of Victorian Box Dredges were destroying the scallop habitat.

Continue reading...

Trawl corridors consultation begins

Hands off my Bottom campaigning takes on new meaning as we contemplate the government's latest proposals for the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. Nowhere amongst their four options is there any sense that our voice has been heard. Bottom trawling, dredging and Danish seining will continue in the Marine Park for the foreseeable future, unless we make a stand. 

Now that their plans are exposed we have to put our hands up for banning bulk harvesting, mobile bottom destroying fishing methods from our Marine Park. Because if we don't ban all industrial fishing it will just shift into Northland, the Coromandel and Bay of Plenty. And that's not fair!

The devil is always in the detail, so we're going through the documents now and will provide regular updates on what it all means. 

Submissions are due with Fisheries New Zealand by 6 November. However, if you can't wait and want to speak up now you can submit here. Don't forget to copy us into your email.

We'll also be putting together an easy-peasy submission form to help you have your voice heard. Stay tuned!

New marine protection legislation

The Hauraki Gulf / Tikapa Moana Marine Protection Bill to create 19 new marine protected areas (MPAs)  in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park has been introduced into Parliament. After the election we will have an opportunity to submit to the Environment Select Committee. We'll be making it really clear that this Bill doesn't go far enough to restore the Marine Park back to a more natural state. 

If we are serious about protecting the marine environment, rebuilding fish numbers and restoring ecosystems we have to address the causes of depletion and biodiversity loss - overharvesting and the use of destructive fishing methods in inshore waters. That includes trawling, dredging and seining. 

We must stop kidding ourselves that 19 MPAs will absolve our responsibility to change our behaviour and mitigate our greed to extract as many fish as possible and export them overseas. 

Kiwis want kaimoana. We also want a healthy ocean, 19 new MPAs is not nearly enough.

Ocean's Festival on next weekend

On Saturday September 9th, we're heading to the Whitianga Oceans Festival in the beautiful Coromandel. Formerly known as the Scallop Festival, the team recognised the impacts we all have on our marine environment and saw that reflected in the decline of our scallop fisheries and decided a refresh was in order!

So they have pulled together the Oceans Festival with sustainability at the forefront of their decision making and where possible, products used at the festival will be sourced sustainably.

We'll be there with our good friends from Kōparepare Wines. If you haven't heard yet, Kōparepare are passionate about helping improve our marine environment and all the proceeds from their Kōparepare range come directly to us, 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 through the community.

Grab some tickets from www.oceansfestival.co.nz and we'll see you there!

Imagine if… by Derrick Paull

"In 2063, as we look out across the mighty Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana and enjoy the sight of millions of native birds dancing over schools of anchovies taking flight in an effort to avoid the abundant and healthy whales, dolphin, sharks, kahawai and haku above schools of tamure, ara ara and tarakihi below, we thank the politicians of 2023 who in their wisdom stood tall, spoke with mana and announced their decision to forever remove all harmful bottom contact bulk-harvesting from this magnificent national treasure, adding further fisheries management tools to grow our stocks for this future abundance.

Their brave, well considered and ultimately election winning move has provided Tamaki Makaurau with the jewel of Aotearoa, alive and abundant today……

"…..except they didn't. 

Wake up people. They handed us a sh*t sandwich and I do not like the taste."

Read more:

https://fishfriendly.substack.com/p/imagine-if

Situations vacant

Kai Ika - Project Lead

We have a great Project Lead job to fill at The Kai Ika Project - ideal for someone who's passionate about feeding communities, reducing food wastage and preserving the ocean.

The Kai Ika Project has repurposed over 355 tonnes of fish heads and frames from being wasted over the last seven years and instead put that kaimoana into the bellies of Kiwi families. We have just expanded into Wellington and we're also kicking things off in the mighty Hawkes Bay.

This is the perfect role for someone who's keen on a challenge and autonomy while also working with an incredible team for support.

Find out more!

SeaCleaners - deckhand

Our good friends over at Sea Cleaners have a deckhand job they are looking to fill.  It's an immediate start through to Christmas, which may turn into more for the right person. 

The role will entail some coordinating of volunteers in the Auckland community, and helping the Sea Cleaners team to clean our waterways of loose litter while learning valuable maritime skills working with their dedicated team on their boats.

Please email a bio or CV to network@seacleaners.com if you think you'd be a good fit or share it with someone you think suits.

New Zealand Fishing News - Digital Content Specialist

New Zealand FIshing News is on the lookout for a Digital Content Specialist to join their team full-time (30-40 hours per week, 6-month fixed term contract).

Could this be you?

Come and join the team at NZ Fishing Media HQ in Ellerslie and make your passion your work. Fire up your creative engine and help us make waves that spread throughout the fishing world. 

Apply now!

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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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