The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council and LegaSea have welcomed the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries’ decision to reject proposals for trawl corridors in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, however, both organisations insist the next step must be bold and decisive: a complete ban on all mobile bottom contact fishing methods, including bottom trawling, Danish seining, and scallop dredging.
This decision follows years of scientific evidence, legal argument, and grassroots advocacy highlighting the ecological degradation caused by industrial fishing techniques. The public’s stance is clear – 84% of people living around the Gulf want bottom trawling banned, according to Horizon Research.
Let’s Finish the Job
Sam Woolford, LegaSea Project Lead and spokesperson. “Rejecting trawl corridors is only part of the solution to restoring the Gulf. But unless we go further and ban all bottom-contact fishing, the seabed will never fully recover.”
The Hauraki Gulf has suffered decades of habitat loss, declining biodiversity, and degraded fish populations due to bottom-impact methods. Independent science, government reports, and community experience all point to one conclusion: ecosystem restoration will not be possible while destructive industrial gear is allowed to operate.
Option Zero is the Only Way Forward
Scott Macindoe, President of the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council, says the Minister’s decision is a pivotal moment in the future management of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park.
“The courts have confirmed that sustainability must come first. A complete ban on bottom trawling, Danish seining and dredging is not just morally right – it’s legally necessary. We call on the Minister to adopt Option Zero and remove these destructive practices from the entire Marine Park.”
Macindoe also emphasised the widespread public and stakeholder support for change: “Thousands of submissions, petitions, and surveys have shown New Zealanders want the Gulf restored. This is our chance to turn a page.”
Next Steps: Bold, Integrated Management
The NZ Sport Fishing Council and LegaSea are calling for the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park to be designated a separate fisheries management area, enabling ecosystem-based fisheries management, species-specific catch limits, and a transition to low-impact methods like longlining and trapping.
They also urge the government to establish a Type 2 Marine Protected Area (MPA) across the Park to protect benthic habitats and promote recovery.
“The time for piecemeal management is over,” said Woolford. “We need integrated, science-based decisions that give our marine ecosystems the best chance to thrive. A full ban on bottom-contact fishing is the foundation of that future.”
Record of Trawl corridors process here.
Joint recreational submission in response to the trawl corridor proposals here.
November 2023 Submission summary here.
