Latest updates


Fishing continues despite illegal trawling

August 29, 2020 Surely not. A trawler caught illegal fishing in a protected area can continue to operate even when the Court has ordered its forfeiture to the Crown. In late July Sealord Group was ordered by the Nelson District Court to forfeit a vessel worth $24 million. The company also forfeited the catch, and its crew were […]

LegaSea newsletter #97 – Rescue Fish – Watch it, sign it, share it

August 28, 2020 It’s been a frustrating time with the return of COVID-19 to the community, especially for people who live in Auckland. No fishing, no sports, no socialising. But it’s a good time to get online. So if you haven’t watched The Price of Fish, watch it. If you haven’t signed the petition, sign it. If you […]

Politicians need to stand up for change

August 1, 2020 After seven years of meetings, planning and reports, officials have been told to start actioning improvements to the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. The Park extends from Pakiri in the north to Waihi in the Bay of Plenty. These waters have been degraded by decades of use, abuse and management paralysis. In a joint submission to […]

Rescue Fish to avoid US ban of New Zealand seafood

July 31, 2020 We always knew Kiwis were passionate about their fishing. The reaction to the Rescue Fish policy has confirmed that we also care about prioritising the health of our marine environment. Rescue Fish – Ika Rauora is a policy developed by LegaSea and New Zealand Sport Fishing Council to remedy depleted fish stocks and address the […]

LegaSea newsletter #96 – The QMS. A slow motion train wreck

July 31, 2020 “It was like watching a train wreck. I didn’t want to see or hear it, but I couldn’t take my eyes off it”. That is just one reaction to the release of Mike Bhana’s film ‘The Price of Fish’ that screened on TV last weekend. The film highlights the broken state of the Quota Management System and […]

Reel Questions with Mike Bhana

July 30, 2020 Reel Questions is a commentary series providing an insight to the opinions and experiences of individuals who have ties with our fish life and marine environment whether it be their livelihood, playground, creative influence, culture or simply a part of their lives. They all have a varied relationship with our coast and fish. Mike Bhana […]

Rescue Fish – more fish in the sea

July 29, 2020 Kiwis have had enough of indiscriminate bulk harvesting fishing methods and are refusing to tolerate the fish depletion and habitat destruction that follows. Bottom trawling and dredging in sensitive inshore waters damages important juvenile fish habitat and kills seabed creatures. Purse seining removes layers of life important to foraging seabirds and marine communities. Fundamental change is […]

Reel Questions with Matt von Sturmer

July 15, 2020 Reel Questions is a commentary series providing an insight to the opinions and experiences of individuals who have ties with our fish life and marine environment whether it be their livelihood, playground, creative influence, culture or simply a part of their lives. They all have a varied relationship with our coast and fish. Matt von […]

LegaSea newsletter #95 – People inspiring change

July 15, 2020 For years we have been limited to raising awareness of the issues affecting our fisheries and coastal waters so it’s a real buzz to share with you our reform package – Rescue Fish. Rescue Fish is our best endeavour to inspire change so our fisheries can become more abundant and we can enjoy a healthier […]

Solution to bycatch and fish dumping

July 15, 2020 A report to the international Sea Around Us project in 2016 found New Zealand dumped an estimated 14 million tonnes of fish between 1950 and 2010. That’s enough fish to feed New Zealand for 125 years. While much of the dumping occurred in the deep water fisheries, it is still occurring in the inshore fisheries […]