October 30, 2025
This article was originally published in The Adventurer newspaper, October 2025. The collapse and subsequent closure of the Coromandel scallop fishery in 2022 marked the end of the tradition that once defined the start of spring. The September 1st tradition used to include sliding on your snorkel and wetsuit (that fits a bit more snug ... Read more.
October 29, 2025
This article was originally published in Local Matters. 28 October 2025. It’s hard to believe it’s been three years since we were last able to gather and savour fresh scallops from our own backyard. For many of us, sharing a feed of scallops was woven into our coastal lifestyle, connecting friends and family. Decades of ... Read more.
October 22, 2025
We’ve been scammed. New legislation to protect six percent of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is being hailed as a success, yet we could have had 100 percent of the seabed protected if politicians were bold enough. The Hauraki Gulf Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Act 2025 became a reality on 10 October, 2025. It authorises ... Read more.
October 22, 2025
None of us had a say in it yet the Coalition agreement has become the excuse to drive radical change. Even in the face of overwhelming public opposition. In terms of fisheries, the Coalition agreement reads – “Deliver longer durations for marine farming permits and remove regulations that impede the productivity and enormous potential of ... Read more.
October 20, 2025
Locals, business leaders and interest groups unite against destructive fishing methods Lack of action from central government has resulted in a bold move by the Waikato Regional Council (WRC) to restrict commercial fishing in Coromandel waters. Scott Macindoe, President of the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC), says the decision highlights that local communities will ... Read more.
September 16, 2025
Crayfish numbers in areas across the Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Plenty and Coromandel are depleted. In response, Fisheries NZ has proposed drastic management measures that could impact the Kiwi summer you’ve been dreaming about all winter. FNZ proposals include a closure to crayfish harvesting in east Northland, and extending that closure to include the coastline ... Read more.
August 27, 2025
From Mahurangi Matters, August 2025. There was a time when packs of crayfish marched in their thousands from East Cape up the northeast coast. The seafloor hidden beneath a moving mass of antennas and limbs – a magnificent sight. Today these marches are rare. Instead, red rock lobster populations across east Northland are at crisis ... Read more.
July 30, 2025
Published in The Adventurer Magazine Jack Mackerel – those slippery little fish you chuck on your hook as bait to catch something bigger – are far more important than they’re given credit for. These so-called baitfish are a fundamental food source for larger predatory fish, marine mammals and seabirds. Without them, our coastal ecosystems begin ... Read more.
July 30, 2025
Published in Mahurangi Matters. By Sam Woolford “The Ocean is not alive like it used to be 25 yrs ago where we moved from one workup to another”. A comment we often receive from Hauraki Gulf fishers who spend more time chasing the diving seabirds feeding on the schools of baitfish – referred to as ... Read more.
June 23, 2025
In the USA June 18 is National Go Fishing Day. We don’t have an equivalent celebration of recreational fishing in New Zealand, but it’s worth considering given that for centuries fishing has contributed to our survival, and our social, economic and cultural wellbeings. Kiwis spend a lot of money and time fishing, and the most ... Read more.
