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.
April 15, 2026
Why is the government ignoring high profile Kiwis and strong public sentiment opposing its controversial fisheries reforms? A groundswell of social media commentary, led by fishing advocate Matt Watson, marathon swimmer Jono Ridler, and advocacy group LegaSea, and an outpouring of public reaction has highlighted the far-reaching negative impacts of the Fisheries Amendment Bill. “The ... Read more.
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.
March 30, 2026
The Fisheries Amendment Bill heads to its first reading TOMORROW 31 March. The purpose of the Bill is set out on page one, “to grow the value of seafood sector exports while continuing to ensure sustainability.” It’s clear the Bill prioritises seafood exports. That means everything else becomes an afterthought – the fish, the environment ... Read more.
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.
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.
March 25, 2026
Across the country, something’s fishy. The Fisheries Amendment Bill has just gone to Parliament and will have its first reading in the next few days. In simple terms – it’s bad news for us, our kids, our fish and the environment. We have a small window of time to “Kill the Bill”. This Bill is basically an ... Read more.
March 19, 2026
Today Minister Jones has released the most sweeping changes to fisheries legislation since the quota system was introduced. We have limited time to analyse the Fisheries Amendment Bill before your local MP gets to vote in support or against it. If you were one of the 27,000 Kiwis who submitted on last year’s proposals, it’s clear your ... Read more.
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.
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.
