Articles

Look out Coromandel, trawlers are heading your way…

April 1, 2024 The pristine waters of the Coromandel could become the last resort for bottom trawling and seining if the Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Bill gets through Parliament. The Environment Select Committee is currently reviewing the Protection Bill, after holding hearings in Auckland in early March. Successive submitters urged the Committee to consider the wider impacts of […]

The demise of East Coast crayfish

March 20, 2024 A part of being a good Kiwi is sticking up for our neighbours when something’s not right. Now is the time tosupport our whānau living around the North Island’s east coast, as their crayfish is under threat. We need to work together as crayfish are a national taonga, a treasure. Local communities, Māori, and commercial […]

The consequences of collapsing shellfish populations

March 14, 2024 Collecting kai moana is a Kiwi summer tradition, wading in knee-deep water, collecting buckets of pipi, cockles, or whatever else your auntie fancies. It’s an ancient practice, and a way of life for some. Running out of hands to collect used to be the norm. Instead, we are faced with emergency closures and rāhui, temporary […]

Baitfish matter too!

March 10, 2024 Marine ecosystems are delicate. When something is out of balance it impacts a variety of species. It can be likened to a domino effect. It’s about who eats who. Baitfish including Blue and Jack mackerels are a perfect example. It’s incredible that such a small fish can influence the way an ecosystem functions. Yet it’s […]

A thriving fishery benefits local economies

February 9, 2024 Our oceans serve a much greater purpose than just being a source of kai moana. The value of spending time with whanau fishing off your local wharf or on Grandad’s dinghy is priceless. Exchanging stories at the end of a long day is what makes lasting memories. What might go unnoticed is the contribution such […]

The stench of a rotting quota system

February 2, 2024 New Zealand’s fisheries management system is so corrupted some commercial fishers are earning less than $4 per kilo for whole fish retailing at $60 for skinned and boned fillets. Our Quota Management System is so rotten that small-scale fishers doing the right thing in New Zealand are becoming an endangered species. Reform of the system […]

Collapse of marine ecosystems

December 29, 2023 It is difficult to manage wild resources such as fish. Fish are constantly on the move. It’s easy to ignore what’s happening beneath the surface. But when management fails, us Kiwis bear the brunt of it. Mismanagement means fewer fish and a less productive marine environment. Fish belong to the people, not just those who […]

The ongoing fight for abundant fisheries

December 21, 2023 Bottom trawling, marine protected areas (MPAs), and coastal plans have been hot topics for the last months of 2023. While our fisheries experts at the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council were working hard on developing comprehensive submissions in response to the various proposals, our LegaSea team was out there making sure your voice was heard. […]

Respecting rāhui has many benefits

December 20, 2023 As people who use the ocean for fishing, diving and swimming it is important that we show respect back to our waters, recognising that sustainable practices today can contribute to a bountiful harvest tomorrow. Respect comes in many forms such as avoiding damage to the environment caused by destructive fishing methods or harvesting only the […]

What’s green, silent yet invasive?

December 18, 2023 What is green, suffocating sealife living on the ocean floor, and may be the reason why you can’t anchor at your favourite fishing spot. It’s the latest biosecurity threat to our waters – invasive Caulerpa. First discovered at Aotea Great Barrier Island in 2021, it has since spread like wildfire around the east coast with […]