Latest updates


Minister’s proposal weakens fisheries law

October 1, 2025 Shane Jones, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, wants to change the rules that govern how we manage our fish stocks. On the surface, it sounds fairly tidy – he says he wants to “clarify roles” and “separate functions.” But if you dive into the details, the real intention becomes clear. This is about watering ... Read more.

Reform of fisheries, is licensing next?

October 1, 2025 Shane Jones, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, is pushing fisheries reform. Around 70 percent of New Zealanders also want reform, but their reasons couldn’t be further apart. A majority of Kiwis want fisheries reform fit for the 21st century. They want changes so fish populations can grow more abundant. No surprise, as more fish ... Read more.

Have your say about to changes to crayfish management

September 17, 2025 Crayfish populations along the North Island’s east coast are under review. We’ve made it simple for you to add your voice to the process. Use our quick submission form to learn more about what’s being proposed and to share your thoughts directly with decision-makers.

The gloves are off

September 16, 2025 You know you must be getting close to the truth when officials propose to change the law to reduce accountability. So it is with crayfish. After losing a string of court cases challenging recent Ministerial decisions, Shane Jones has arbitrarily decided to amend the Fisheries Act to severely limit the public’s time and ability to ... Read more.

Changes to North Island crayfish on the menu

September 16, 2025 Years of ineffective management have contributed to the depletion of crayfish populations along Northland’s east coast known as the CRA 1 fishery. Now at crisis point, the depletion can no longer be ignored. Fisheries NZ has proposed a range of management measures to address the depletion. These will affect commercial and recreational fishing for red ... Read more.

Drastic management measures proposed for CRA 2

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.

A Golden Opportunity: Community’s innovative scallop plan

September 1, 2025 Scallop season once opened on 1 September in Coromandel. Today, the date is a stark reminder of what has been lost. Decades of mismanagement, overallocation, and the destructive use of Victorian box dredges drove the Coromandel scallop fishery to collapse. It was only after sustained pressure from the local community, led by Ngāti Hei, that ... Read more.

A pathway forward – a scallop restoration plan

September 1, 2025 Scallop season once opened on 1 September in the Coromandel. Today, the date is a stark reminder of what has been lost. Decades of mismanagement, overallocation, and the destructive use of Victorian box dredges drove the Coromandel scallop fishery to collapse. It was only after sustained pressure from the local community, led by Ngāti Hei, ... Read more.

Crayfish at crisis point

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.

LegaSea newsletter #170 – Crayfish in the spotlight

August 27, 2025 Thank you to everyone who answered the call in our last email. Together, we raised close to $10,000 to fuel the fight for our fish. That show of support was powerful – it tells us that thousands of Kiwis are ready to stand up against a system designed to protect industrial fishing interests at the ... Read more.