October 27, 2023
The Hauraki Gulf is more degraded now than when it was first established over 20 years ago. Over a century of damage caused by bottom trawling, followed by Danish seining and dredging, can be addressed by you saying no to this ongoing destruction. Most of us agree that a healthy marine environment is good for […]
October 27, 2023
It may come as a shock that the ocean is not a closed ecosystem. Fish don’t know boundaries, only we humans do. And, fish don’t stay in one place because it’s a marine reserve, they are born to migrate. If we want to improve biodiversity by increasing fish abundance then we have to think beyond […]
October 22, 2023
It’s fair to say the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is turning to shit. Quite literally. Hundreds of litres of raw sewage entered the Waitematā Harbour every second after a 13-metre sinkhole caused the blockage of a main wastewater pipe in downtown Auckland. Do you think a marine reserve would be an effective way to solve […]
October 5, 2023
As advocates for change it’s concerning that officials recently admitted they dismiss form submissions if they say the same thing. Most of the submissions that LegaSea receives from passionate people have personal comments added to their submission and this feedback must not be ignored. Firstly, because these are grunty, heartfelt messages from people who care. […]
October 4, 2023
It’s almost a year since the High Court declared the Minister’s 2021 and 2022 decisions for the future management of Northland crayfish (CRA 1) were unlawful. The Court directed the Minister to review CRA 1 again. That review occurred earlier this year and the outcome was underwhelming. Firstly, Fisheries New Zealand (FNZ) provided the Minister […]
October 1, 2023
In good faith over the past decade we have engaged in discussions about improving the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park environment. We’ve advocated for a ban on bottom trawling, dredging and seining. The Park also needs to be designated as a separate fisheries management area so fish populations can be restored to more natural levels. After […]
September 29, 2023
Look out. Caulerpa may be coming to a bay near you this summer. It’s an invasive seaweed species that may stop you from fishing or anchoring in your favourite place. Underwater it looks like a green carpet of kikuyu grass and it’s already infesting the seabed in some areas at Aotea Great Barrier Island, Kawau […]
September 20, 2023
Kina might not be on everyone’s list of favourite foods, yet when it comes to the marine environment they are significant indicators of how well our inshore marine ecosystem is functioning. Off the coast of east Northland down to the Bay of Plenty, the numbers of kina are increasing. This is bringing joy to people […]
September 19, 2023
Fisheries decisions have dominated the news over the past month. Many of us at LegaSea are still scratching our heads. The government needs to get serious about restoring the Hauraki Gulf. This starts by removing trawling and dredging so we can rebuild fish populations. Science has unequivocally proven the damage that trawling and dredging does […]
August 24, 2023
In the last two months we have been deeply involved in the development of seven major submissions responding to fisheries management and policy proposals. The common theme is that excessive catches lead to demands for increased commercial quota. This is not new, but it’s frustrating given the greenwashing rhetoric from officials and industry captains about […]
