Photo by Rob Jonson Kia ora Friend,
2025 was a big year – busy, demanding, and full of hairy moments that reminded us why your support matters. From regional fisheries issues to national campaigns, from policy rooms to fishing clubs and on and in the water, the year was about the same goal we keep coming back to: healthier oceans, fairer access, and more fish in the water for everyone. This is a snapshot of what that looked like in practice – the projects, the people, the pressure applied, the successes and the setbacks, and the momentum that's been building across communities, fisheries, and public support. It's not everything, but it's a good recap on a year spent pushing for abundance and positive change. |
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Kai Ika had another big year turning what would otherwise be waste into good kai for communities. Across Auckland, Wellington and Hawke's Bay, 128,000 kilograms of kaimoana were rescued and shared this year. This means a huge amount of edible fish shared and not into landfill. Auckland remained the largest hub with 88,000 kilograms distributed, followed by Wellington on 28,000 kilograms. |
| kgs of kaimoana distributed to families throughout the community |
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Hawke's Bay marked its first year of operation and distributed 12,000 kilograms, a strong start for a new regional hub.
In total, Kai Ika has now distributed more than 620,000 kilograms of fish heads and frames since the programme began.
That volume represents thousands of meals shared with whānau and communities, and just as importantly, thousands of fish that didn't need to be caught to feed people. Kai Ika continues to show that smarter use of what is already being harvested can reduce pressure on fisheries and improve food security. This is conservation at work.
Building on this growth, Kai Ika also launched a new redistribution model this year. With the support of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Service Foods, and Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae, bulk kaimoana is now distributed through trusted community champions who return the fish directly to their own communities. This approach allows more fish to be recovered and shared across a wider area, strengthening local distribution networks while keeping kai close to the people it is intended for.
Alongside kaimoana redistribution, the Cans for Kai programme collected 38,000 kilograms of aluminium cans and 6300 kg of batteries, creating a circular loop where recycling directly funds food distribution. That diversion represents a meaningful reduction in carbon emissions entering the atmosphere, while helping keep Kai Ika financially sustainable and community-driven. To see what Kai Ika has been up over the last year, check out the stories on the Kai Ika media page. If you would like to financially support the Kai Ika kaupapa, you can donate directly to Kai Ika here. |
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submissions were made to the government to push for conservative approaches to NZ's fisheries |
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Our call to restore abundance and biodiversity remains more urgent than ever. Over the year, LegaSea and the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC) invested more than 650 hours engaging in Ministry-led meetings of science working groups, fisheries planning, spatial plans and multi-stakeholder groups. Maintaining a consistent, credible presence at the table holds Officials accountable for managing our fisheries in the public interest. |
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Early in the year, we responded swiftly to proposed amendments to the Fisheries Act that sought to fast-track commercial access to fish stocks while removing critical safeguards against overexploitation. Our comprehensive submission opposed most of these changes, presenting an alternative solution that would benefit the fish, the people and the long-term viability of the fishing industry.
On a positive note we celebrated the Waikato Regional Council decision to restrict bottom trawling, Danish seine and scallop dredging along parts of the east coast of the Coromandel. In July, we submitted on the future management of more than 20 different fish stocks nationwide, including South Island blue cod, pāua, and key baitfish species such as mackerel and anchovy.
Restoring crayfish abundance across the upper North Island was another major task for our team. Throughout the year, we advocated for stronger management responses to address the ongoing crayfish depletion in areas across Northland, Hauraki Gulf and Bay of Plenty.
We closed the year out responding to yet another round of industry proposals seeking to remove "redundant" commercial fishing regulations, including attempts to allow commercial fishers to keep and sell marlin and 19 reef fish species including boarfish and red moki. None of this effort is possible without your support, and the ongoing support from LegaSea's Partners and Legends. Your collective, generous contributions mean we can continue to be the voice of reason advocating for restored abundance and a fair go for Kiwis. |
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public submissions opposing the various threats facing our fisheries |
| With a Minister who clearly favours the commercial industry, recreational fishers have faced a barrage of initiatives that further threaten the future of our fisheries. But in 2025, like no other before it, the public has stood up and said we will not accept these moves by the Minister without a fight.
Starting with a move to increase the commercial take of crayfish from CRA 2 (from Te Arai Point to East Cape), 2551 people made submissions strongly opposing this increase. The Minister listened, and the status quo was preserved. For this year at least. |
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This was followed by the Fisheries Reform "Scam" proposals, launched in February - a set of amendments to the Fisheries Act that would reduce public input in fisheries management decisions and downplay the importance of environmental considerations when setting catch limits. We campaigned in opposition, and through public outrage and strong support from recreational fishing influencers, over 26,000 people made submissions to oppose the "reforms".
In October, a further set of fishing regulation amendments was proposed by Fisheries New Zealand. These included a plan to allow marlin to be commercially sold, as well as 19 species of reef fish. Again the public stood up, fiercely opposing these amendments. Through the One Ocean protest and online outrage, 22,000 people submitted in opposition. Unable to ignore the public fury, the Minister has recently indicated that the marlin changes would not go through, although the fate of the 19 reef species still hangs in the balance.
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was raised in 2025 to continue our advocacy, legal action, research, and on-the-ground engagement to restore our coastal fisheries. |
| Fundraising in 2025 was a collective effort and the support we received made a real difference, especially given the broader economic backdrop. Our new and long-standing LegaSea Partners contributed more than $290,000. We welcomed 11 new Works Partners, three new Building Partners and one new Gold Partner joining the LegaSea kaupapa. We are grateful to have received $695,000 through Grant funding to support our ongoing projects. |
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It was great to see more LegaSea Legends jumping onboard, contributing $95,000 across the year alongside generous one-off donations from supporters totalling $70,000.
Volunteers and in-kind contributions contributed more than $11,000 worth of time and support across events, projects and behind-the-scenes work. |
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online engagements in 2025 |
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This year really showed what we've built. Not just in follower numbers or views, but in our ability to reach people quickly, hold their attention, and actually move conversations when it matters. It showed us that Kiwis care about their marine environment just as much as we do.
Across Facebook and Instagram alone, our content was viewed more than 6.1 million times. That's more than the entire population of New Zealand reached across just two platforms. |
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What matters even more is how that reach happened. The majority of those views were organic, driven by people choosing to watch, share, and engage, not because they were shown an ad.
The LegaSea Facebook page cleared just over 5 million views for the year. Engagement nearly tripled, watch time more than doubled, and the spikes show exactly what we set out to do. When an issue breaks, we can now cut through nationally in hours, not weeks. By year's end the Facebook community had grown to more than 54,000 followers, giving real scale and credibility.
Our Instagram page followed the same pattern. The channel finished the year at just over 1.07 million views. Reach and interactions both climbed sharply, and the account ended the year with close to 12,000 followers. Engagement rates hit their strongest point yet, showing the audience there isn't passive – they're paying attention and getting involved.
TikTok is still the smallest of our three channels, but it's one of the quiet success stories of the year. It started with almost no focus and very little expectation, and has grown into a steady performer with consistent week-on-week views and a follower base that's beginning to build real momentum. Taken together, these channels are no longer just places we post updates – they're platforms with enough weight behind them to influence national debate when it matters.
Alongside our digital reach, face-to-face engagement remained a critical part of the work this year. LegaSea attended more that 20 major industry and public events and personally engaged with over 7000 people, including the Auckland Boat Show and the Hutchwilco Boat Show, creating opportunities to speak directly with both industry representatives and recreational fishers about the issues that matter most to them.
Kai Ika was also out in communities with our mobile filleting service, attending events at Piha Deep Sea Fishing Club, Mairangi Bay Fishing Club, and supporting the Canteen annual competition at Maraetai Fishing Club. In addition, LegaSea hosted multiple screenings of David Attenborough's Ocean documentary in Auckland, Whangārei and Havelock North. The film powerfully highlights both the damage caused by large scale factory trawling and the remarkable ability of the ocean to recover when given time and space, sparking meaningful conversations with audiences across the country.
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As we head into 2026, we will be facing more proposals that risk further exploiting our fisheries and limiting our ability to catch and share kaimoana with our families. If you want to help turn the tide please consider becoming a Legend to support our efforts for abundant fisheries and a fair go for future generations.
A massive shout out to our Platinum, Gold, Building and Works partners who keep us moving and give us the confidence to keep fighting and striving for more fish in the water. We are in this together.
Thanks for your support. Roll on 2026. |
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