“To rebuild our fishery we need qualified tradesmen”

This sums up LegaSea’s new engagement campaign that is targeted at New Zealand’s construction industry. Statistics reveal that Kiwis involved in all aspects of construction whether in materials supply, plumbing, building, electrical, machinery and even design, love to fish.

Fishing is as much the subject of conversation on the building site as is the weather. Construction industry companies can now officially join the Building LegaSea project for an affordable monthly contribution and receive a list of quality rewards and benefits in return.

LegaSea was approached by a number of passionate construction industry leaders with a logical suggestion, “if you’ve got a big building project why don’t you get the New Zealand construction industry to help?”

This insight has evolved into the new “Building LegaSea” funding and support initiative with its own unique identity. It is designed to attract the support of all entities involved in our construction industry, and even the dentists and mechanics that keep our tradies going! Building LegaSea is enabling a range of entities to join forces and empower LegaSea to achieve better fisheries management of our wild and valuable marine resources.

Commercial fishers trawling inshore have “hammered” our stocks of popular recreational species. This, combined with the high juvenile mortality rates and dumping of unwanted fish, puts a real strain on our ability to develop a healthier fishery, long term. LegaSea is now talking to the construction industry because building and fishing is in their blood. By putting fishing and building together we have a far better chance of rebuilding our fishery than we’ve ever had.

A few weeks into the campaign LegaSea can report an unprecedented level of support and understanding from construction industry leaders, big and small. “It is so refreshing talking to the guys in the construction industry about the challenges we face in attempting to rebuild our fisheries,” says Building LegaSea Project Leader, Simon Yates.

“Each time we take a step forward in a rebuild effort the Minister for Primary Industry just ups the commercial quota to tear it down again. Our builders don’t take too kindly to seeing hours and hours of hard labour torn down as the roof is about to go on.”

“Now we have an industry of fishers that really care about an abundant fishery and meaningful fishing experience for our future generations.”

“It’s time to stop getting nailed by poor fisheries management.”

To find out more about Building LegaSea and to get involved, email us at [email protected].