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MEDIA RELEASE: Fisheries Amendment Bill more alarming than legalising the harvest of baby snapper

March 30, 2026 As public opposition to the Fisheries Amendment Bill grows, critics are calling for the bill to be voted down ahead of its first reading tomorrow (March 31).   Removing crucial changes such as undersized fish is a start, but there are other controversial elements much more alarming than legalising the harvest of baby snapper. This includes ... Read more.

MEDIA RELEASE: Fisheries Bill Still Not Dead

March 25, 2026 MEDIA RELEASE Wednesday, 25 March Fisheries Bill Still Not Dead Pressure is growing on the government to drop a controversial Bill that has riled the public into action over the past week. Fishing and environmental advocacy groups have been rallying against the Fisheries Amendment Bill since its release last week. The ‘Kill the Bill’ campaign ... Read more.

Kiwis Aren’t Buying the Government’s Fisheries Reform Package

March 18, 2026 Few things unite Kiwis like the ocean. Our love of being out on or under the water runs deep. The Auckland Boatshow in early March showcased this, where thousands turned out to support the marine businesses that make our time on the water possible. Thanks to NZ Marine, the LegaSea team were lucky enough to ... Read more.

Fast-tracking marine depletion while silencing our voices

March 4, 2026 LegaSea exists to highlight the public’s stake in a healthy, abundant ocean. That’s why we’re deeply concerned about proposed changes to the Fisheries Act that would make it harder for the public to challenge fisheries decisions that affect us all. Shane Jones, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, is proposing to cut the time allowed ... Read more.

Intertidal abundance requires meaningful management

February 19, 2026 Being able to step out the door with a bucket and gather pipis used to be one of the simple joys of living near the coast. For many of us around the Hauraki Gulf, that experience is now a distant memory. The abundance of critters within our rocky intertidal zones have been steadily declining, largely ... Read more.

A fine is meant to change behaviour. At sea, that principle is being abandoned.

February 19, 2026 In everyday life, fines act as a deterrent. They may be less serious than jail time, but they create a strong incentive to stop doing the wrong thing. At sea, that basic logic no longer seems to apply. The Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, Shane Jones is a self-described champion of the fishing industry. He ... Read more.

Marine Park – Opportunity Knocks

February 13, 2026 Article originally published in Mahurangi Matters, January 2026. It’s no secret that the Hauraki Gulf is a unique place. So special, in fact, that more than 25 years ago it was given the status of New Zealand’s first Marine Park and acquired its own protective legislation. The legislation is clear. The purpose of the Hauraki ... Read more.

We cannot trawl our way to abundance

January 12, 2026 Article originally published in Fishing in Godzone magazine, January 2026. A new video has emerged showing the same disturbing scene we’ve seen before, of hundreds of lifeless snapper drifting in the sea. These mass mortalities are no accident, they are likely a result of a bottom trawler dumping unwanted catch overboard. What’s happening beneath the ... Read more.

Hands off our Marlin

December 19, 2025 Article originally published in Fishing in Godzone magazine, December 2025. It’s fair to say that a good percentage of Kiwi fishers are obsessed with marlin. This magnificent species has long been part of our coastal identity. So much so it’s hard to miss the marlin emblems displayed on logos, T-shirts and signs across Northland, Coromandel ... Read more.

Recreational fishers unite for a healthy fishery

December 1, 2025 Article originally published in The Adventurer magazine, December 2025 For most of us, an early Saturday morning means heading out on the water to bring home kaimoana to share with friends and family. But on 22 November, more than 1000 Kiwis swapped the boat ramp for the Auckland harbour bridge, joining the One Ocean Protest ... Read more.