March 10, 2024
Marine ecosystems are delicate. When something is out of balance it impacts a variety of species. It can be likened to a domino effect. It’s about who eats who. Baitfish including Blue and Jack mackerels are a perfect example. It’s incredible that such a small fish can influence the way an ecosystem functions. Yet it’s […]
February 9, 2024
Our oceans serve a much greater purpose than just being a source of kai moana. The value of spending time with whanau fishing off your local wharf or on Grandad’s dinghy is priceless. Exchanging stories at the end of a long day is what makes lasting memories. What might go unnoticed is the contribution such […]
February 2, 2024
New Zealand’s fisheries management system is so corrupted some commercial fishers are earning less than $4 per kilo for whole fish retailing at $60 for skinned and boned fillets. Our Quota Management System is so rotten that small-scale fishers doing the right thing in New Zealand are becoming an endangered species. Reform of the system […]
December 29, 2023
It is difficult to manage wild resources such as fish. Fish are constantly on the move. It’s easy to ignore what’s happening beneath the surface. But when management fails, us Kiwis bear the brunt of it. Mismanagement means fewer fish and a less productive marine environment. Fish belong to the people, not just those who […]
December 21, 2023
Bottom trawling, marine protected areas (MPAs), and coastal plans have been hot topics for the last months of 2023. While our fisheries experts at the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council were working hard on developing comprehensive submissions in response to the various proposals, our LegaSea team was out there making sure your voice was heard. […]
December 20, 2023
As people who use the ocean for fishing, diving and swimming it is important that we show respect back to our waters, recognising that sustainable practices today can contribute to a bountiful harvest tomorrow. Respect comes in many forms such as avoiding damage to the environment caused by destructive fishing methods or harvesting only the […]
December 18, 2023
What is green, suffocating sealife living on the ocean floor, and may be the reason why you can’t anchor at your favourite fishing spot. It’s the latest biosecurity threat to our waters – invasive Caulerpa. First discovered at Aotea Great Barrier Island in 2021, it has since spread like wildfire around the east coast with […]
December 15, 2023
Crayfish are considered functionally extinct in the Hauraki Gulf, our scallop fishery is closed, and kina barrens are more common. These are all signs that Fisheries New Zealand’s quota management system is not working. We need to restore marine biodiversity. But, increased abundance and diversity of sea life doesn’t happen overnight. It surely doesn’t happen […]
December 12, 2023
Next summer could look very different if you enjoy spending time in the Coromandel. The ability to cast a line at your favourite fishing spot, or enjoy a day at the local beach with your family may be cut short if challenges to the proposed Waikato Regional Council Coastal Plan are successful. When approved, the […]
November 28, 2023
We need to stop killing so much sea life. What does a seafloor look like after decades of bottom trawling? It resembles a muddy, barren landscape unable to support the rich and diverse marine life it once harboured. So fish must go elsewhere to find food. But what if there is nowhere else to find […]
