Concerns as Sweeping Fisheries Reforms Progress

Recreational fishers are being urged to pay close attention as major changes to New Zealand’s fisheries laws move into Parliament – with the Government and advocacy groups offering sharply different views on what the reforms will mean for the future of the fishery.

Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones, fresh from licking his wounds after backing down regarding his controversial proposal to allow the commercial harvest of striped marlin in NZ, this week confirmed the Fisheries Amendment Bill has been introduced, describing it as a key step toward “modernising” the system and improving both sustainability and economic performance.

New rule proposals (that were not consulted on) include removing commercial minimum size limits for a range of valuable recreational species, including snapper, tarakihi, and trevally. The Ministry for Primary Industries said that, for snapper, the proposed size limit change would apply to all commercial trawl, set net, and Danish seine fishing. 

According to the polarising Minister, the proposed changes are designed to streamline science-based decision-making, allow faster adjustments to catch limits as fish stocks rise or fall, and give commercial operators more flexibility in how they handle their catch. The bill also addresses concerns around privacy and the use of onboard camera footage.

Jones said the ability to respond more quickly to changes in fish abundance would benefit both the resource and those who rely on it, while maintaining sustainability as the “bottom line.” He pointed to the economic importance of the sector, noting that commercial fishing supports around 9,000 jobs and generates approximately $1.5 billion in annual export revenue.

However, the proposals have already drawn strong criticism from recreational fishers and their advocates, including LegaSea, who argue the changes will come at the expense of fish stocks and public access.

In a statement, LegaSea described the bill as the most significant overhaul of fisheries legislation since the introduction of the Quota Management System, and warned it could pose a serious risk to the health of coastal fisheries.

The group asserts that concerns raised by more than 27,000 public submissions on earlier proposals have not been adequately addressed. It is now calling on Kiwis to contact their local MPs and oppose the bill, arguing that priority should be given to ensuring there are enough fish in the water to feed New Zealanders before supporting export-driven growth.

LegaSea says there is widespread unease among the public, pointing to feedback gathered during recent marine events where concerns about the reforms were a recurring theme among recreational fishers and ocean users.

For everyday fishers, the debate centres on a familiar tension – balancing sustainability, public access and involvement in decision-making, and the economic value of the commercial sector. While the Government maintains the reforms will improve outcomes through better data and more responsive management, critics fear they could lead to increased pressure on already stressed inshore fisheries.

“We must prioritise feeding Kiwis before exports,” says Sam Woolford from LegaSea. 

"Killing baby fish in order to create more fish for export - that's kneecapping productivity. If you take a juvenile fish out of the ecosystem, it doesn't have a chance to reproduce.

"There is no consideration for New Zealanders in this proposal. It's the biggest threat I've seen probably in my lifetime and is incredibly shortsighted."

The Fisheries Amendment Bill will now go through the select committee process, where the public will have another opportunity to make submissions.

With positions already hardening on both sides, fisheries is appearing as an unlikely battleground for this year’s elections.

“Now, we only have one more chance to crush this Bill before the election. By then, we will know which MPs have supported more risky fishing, and who has stood up for more fish in the water, for us and our kids. Standby as we do our analysis and work out what's next,” Woolford says.

You can keep up to date and find out how to have your say here.

-    Nick Jones