Latest updates


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.

Make your Work Count. Become a Works Partner.

March 3, 2026 If you’ve ever backed LegaSea, shared our posts, or stood up for the future of fishing in New Zealand, this is for you. We’re calling on businesses to step up as LegaSea Works Partners. For $500 a year, your workplace can put its name behind the fight for healthier fisheries, less destructive fishing and fairer ... Read more.

LegaSea newsletter #181 – Fines, closures and coffee. What a mix

February 20, 2026 In case you missed it, there’s a Fisheries Amendment Bill (scam) working its way through the system right now, and while it might sound technical, we aim to break it down into tangible, understandable bites for you. Over the coming weeks, we’ll be unpacking key parts of it, starting with deemed value penalties. On paper, ... Read more.

Intertidal abundance requires meaningful management

February 19, 2026 Being able to step out the door with a bucket and gather pipis used to be one of the simple joys of living near the coast. For many of us around the Hauraki Gulf, that experience is now a distant memory. The abundance of critters within our rocky intertidal zones have been steadily declining, largely ... Read more.

Marine Park – Opportunity Knocks

February 13, 2026 Article originally published in Mahurangi Matters, January 2026. It’s no secret that the Hauraki Gulf is a unique place. So special, in fact, that more than 25 years ago it was given the status of New Zealand’s first Marine Park and acquired its own protective legislation. The legislation is clear. The purpose of the Hauraki ... Read more.

LegaSea newsletter #180 – I fish. I care. I vote.

February 5, 2026 If you’ve been with us a while, you’ll know LegaSea doesn’t exist to make noise for the sake of it. We exist because New Zealand’s fisheries matter, because access to our kaimoana matters, and because abundance doesn’t come from wishful thinking or political lobbying. It comes from effective management that puts ecosystems first. It comes ... Read more.

LegaSea newsletter #179 – The Year That Was 2025

January 29, 2026 2025 was a big year – busy, demanding, and full of hairy moments that reminded us why your support matters. From regional fisheries issues to national campaigns, from policy rooms to fishing clubs and on and in the water, the year was about the same goal we keep coming back to: healthier oceans, fairer access, ... Read more.

LegaSea newsletter #178 – A big win for Marlin

January 16, 2026 It’s been a full-on period in the world of fisheries management, with some big moments worth acknowledging and some serious warning signs we can’t ignore. In this update, we cover a genuine win for marlin, with public pressure helping keep them out of the commercial system. But we also dig into the dumping footage that’s ... Read more.

Make a submission on East Coast Crayfish

January 15, 2026 The crayfish population in Crayfish 3 (CRA 3) waters, from East Cape south to Wairoa River, is in trouble and catches need to be reduced. Fisheries New Zealand (FNZ) is consulting on significant changes to the Total Allowable Commercial Catch and allowance set aside for all other mortality caused by fishing. The allowances for recreational ... Read more.