The Quota Management System (QMS) has concentrated and privatised control of our fisheries to a handful of major quota owners. This has had a detrimental impact on our fish, the fishers, Māori and our coastal communities. 

We need a system that removes private property rights, incentivises selective, low-impact fishing methods, and puts the health and abundance of our fisheries ahead of short-term profit. A world-leading management system ought to reward local fishers who land quality catch. It needs to restore the Crown’s role in deciding who can fish, and give every New Zealander a fair go at accessing our shared kaimoana.

That’s why LegaSea is urging political parties to commit to investigating alternatives to the dysfunctional QMS.