Kia ora Friend,

In April, over 25,000 of you submitted and made it pretty clear that you did not want the proposed 'reforms' to the Fisheries Act to go ahead. Unfortunately your voices have been ignored by the current coalition government.

In an unsurprising turn of events, Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, Shane Jones, announced today that National has agreed to his "reforms", and will be drafted into a Bill by the end of the year. This is unsurprising because Jones makes zero effort in hiding his affiliations with the fishing industry and his desire to increase the exports of our fish overseas to fatten his ministerial portfolio.

This isn't something we can take lightly and we will be doing everything we can to stop these "reforms" from becoming law. LegaSea believes the health of the marine environment needs to be a priority. However, with this legislation Jones has made it clear that neither the ecosystem or the interests of Kiwis who fish to feed their families are a priority.

And that's okay, because next year we can cast our votes accordingly.

What these proposals will mean for our fisheries:

1. More power to quota owners
2. Weaker environmental protections
3. Less monitoring, more secrecy
4. More waste, less accountability
5. Reduced public say

Get ready for a bit of a ruckus, and remember there is power in numbers.

I fish, I care, I vote.

Quick facts about the Fisheries Reform Scam...

🌊 Why is LegaSea calling the reforms a scam?
The Minister is calling the proposals a reform package, claiming that they will improve responsiveness, efficiency and certainty of how our fisheries are managed. The proposed changes are not reforms. They are merely changes to improve quota owners' interests at the expense of the public, the marine environment and small-scale fishers. Real reforms require meaningful change to current management instead of privatising what's left of our fish.

🌊 What impact will the proposals have on my fishing?

They could have a big impact on recreational fishing and access to our most popular species. The proposals mean that commercial fishers get to determine how much fish is caught, where and when. The Minister is the only person with a statutory duty to limit catches and make sure there is enough fish in the water to satisfy current needs, and leave enough fish in the water for future generations' needs.

To view more FAQs, click here.

There is no goodwill with public consultation

Public consultation is one of the few times that everyday New Zealanders can have a say on the future management of our fisheries. It's also when our team at LegaSea, the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council and representative organisations pull together decades of knowledge, science and lived experience to advocate for more fish in the water.

But the way this government treats public input shows just how far we've drifted from anything resembling meaningful engagement.

Read article here.

How to help

We can only do our job with the support of people like you. If you would like to do more, please consider one of the following:

➔ Donate to LegaSea

➔ Become a partner 

➔ Become a LegaSea Legend

➔ Share this email on Facebook

October 'sustainability' round wrap up

At this time each year our team is put under the pump to write informed submissions responding to lengthy proposals released by Fisheries NZ. By 2 July Fisheries NZ had proposed changes to catch settings for 29 fish stocks.

It was a massive effort from our team who clocked up some big hours writing 15 submissions in 21-working days. Unfortunately, we were against the clock and didn't have time to respond to the other 14 proposals.

With so many proposals to change the catch settings for important species including, pāua, snapper, blue cod and several baitfish species, it's disappointing that Fisheries NZ makes it difficult for us to have our say. The team has summarised each of our comprehensive submissions below.

West Coast, North Island 

Blue mackerel (EMA 7) -  Proposed increase to commercial catch limits.

Sprat (SPR 1) - Proposed reduction to commercial catch limits.

Blue cod (BCO 8) - Proposed reduction to recreational daily bag limit and commercial catch limits.

East Coast, North Island 

Jack mackerel (JMA 1) Proposed decrease to commercial catch limits.

Blue mackerel (EMA 1) - Proposed increase to commercial catch limits.

Anchovy (ANC 1) - Proposed reduction to commercial catch limits.

Garfish piper (GAR 1) - Proposed reduction to commercial catch limits.

Yellow-eyed mullet (YEM 1) - Proposed increase to commercial catch limits.

Sprat (SPR 1) - Proposed reduction to commercial catch limits.

Pāua (PAU 2) - Proposed reduction to commercial catch limits.

East Coast, South Island  

Blue cod (BCO 3) - Proposed reduction to the recreational daily bag limit in South Otago and a reduction to commercial catch limits.

West Coast, South Island 

Snapper & rig (SNA 7 & SPO 7) - Proposed increase to commercial catch limits.

Blue mackerel (EMA 7) -  Proposed increase to commercial catch limits.

Southland

Pāua (PAU 5A) - Proposed reduction to commercial catch limits.

Blue cod (BCO 5) - Proposed reduction to the recreational daily bag limit

No baitfish, no balance

Photo by Daniel Smith

Jack Mackerel – those slippery little fish you chuck on your hook as bait to catch something bigger – are far more important than they're given credit for. These so-called baitfish are a fundamental food source for larger predatory fish, marine mammals and seabirds. Without them, our coastal ecosystems begin to unravel.

That's why Coromandel fishers are asking a simple but critical question: where have our baitfish gone?

Read the full article here.

In the news...

New Zealand isn't just failing to act on ocean protection, it's actively undoing progress

Representing Aotearoa at the UN Ocean Conference was a highlight of my career as a young marine scientist. But reflecting on my time connecting with scientists and leaders from around the world, I feel a sense of lingering unease.

The Spinoff. Veronica Rotman, Guest writer - July 2025

Fisheries Act reforms to allow greater catch limits, on-board camera footage to stay hidden

An overhaul of fisheries rules will allow greater catch limits when fish are abundant and stop on-board camera footage being made public.The changes announced by Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones on Wednesday are part of a proposed new law that will be introduced later this year.

RNZ - 6 August 2025

Big progress for our local reef restoration efforts down in Hawke's Bay.

The fishing ban around Napier's artificial reef has been extended for another two years, giving the reef and the taonga species it supports even more time to flourish. It's a massive step towards a healthier coastline and a future where recreational and customary fishing can thrive. We're proud that this project – and the proposal to sink the decommissioned Twofold Bay trawler as a second artificial reef – has been successfully driven by LegaSea Hawke's Bay, with the backing of a dedicated group of community leaders, mana whenua, scientists and partners.

A huge thank you to everyone helping them turn bold ideas into real change. This is what community-led marine restoration looks like. And we're only just getting started.

Hawkes Bay Today. Gary Hamilton-Irvine - 6 August 2025

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