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Celebrating National Kahawai Day 2026

May 28, 2026 May 28 is National Kahawai Day – a day to celebrate one of New Zealand’s most iconic and accessible fish. For generations, kahawai has been the people’s fish. It’s the fish of summer holidays, surfcasting with the kids, early mornings with grandparents, and the unmistakable smell of fresh kahawai cooking after a day on the ... Read more.

The Bill is not dead…Yet

May 6, 2026 Article originally published in Fishing in Godzone magazine, May 2026 What do we want? To kill the Fisheries Amendment Bill. When do we want it? Now. In April and May, more than 30,000 concerned Kiwis made their submission opposing the Bill. “Corrupt”, “rotten” and “shocking” were just some of the words that were used to ... Read more.

Just 16 days

April 29, 2026 Just 16 working days. That’s all the time the government gave Kiwis to read, understand, and respond to some of the most consequential changes to fisheries legislation. If enacted, the Fisheries Amendment Bill means less transparency, more fish exported, and fewer fish to feed our families. There is no goodwill. The Bill was issued in ... Read more.

Radical path to privatisation of fish

April 22, 2026 Radical. It’s the only word to describe both the proposed changes to fisheries legislation and the growing public opposition to the Fisheries Amendment Bill. There is increasing concern that the Bill, introduced to Parliament by NZ First’s Shane Jones in March, is another move by the Coalition government to privatise what’s left of our fisheries. ... Read more.

What’s in the Bill? Removing environmental safeguards

April 15, 2026 Section 13 – Removing environmental considerations when setting catch limits.  Removes environmental safeguards, allowing the Minister to set catch limits without considering the effect of fishing on the wider marine environment and species not in the Quota Management System. (Note – there are only 98 species in the QMS). The Fisheries Amendment Bill prioritises commercial ... Read more.

Let’s Kill the Bill

April 15, 2026 Article originally published in Fishing in Godzone magazine, April 2026. The Coalition government has made a serious mistake in backing the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries’ most sweeping changes to fisheries legislation in the past 40 years. Kiwis are outraged. And rightly so.  More than 25,000 New Zealanders rejected the proposed changes to the Fisheries ... Read more.

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.