Kia ora Paul,

Thanks for the email. You covered a variety of topics so I’ll try my best to address them all.

Firstly, the common theme we keep noticing with your correspondence is the ‘LegaSea is anti-commercial fishing’ rhetoric. Just to make it clear we are not against commercial fishing, we are against the Quota Management System that permits the ongoing depletion of our inshore fisheries. We would love to see a fishery where Kiwis can purchase locally and sustainably harvested kai moana – essentially Rescue Fish in a nut shell. And yes it may feel repetitive, but that’s because the QMS is still in play.

Here’s a few examples of how we are actively engaging with the commercial industry in productive ways to better manage our marine environment;

1. Through The Kai Ika Project, we have partnered with Moana Fisheries to reduce wastage and distribute previously unwanted fish heads and frames to the South Auckland community.
2. Nearly every week we are involved in science working groups or advisory groups discussing the future management of our fish stocks alongside the commercial industry.
3. Behind the scenes, we are currently working on a coromandel scallop fishery plan, that would benefit commercial fishers, the public and the environment.

In regards to selective fishing, responsible long-lining is a great alternative to bottom trawling as it is selective and does not drag weighed nets across the seafloor. Look at Leigh/Lee Fish for example, showing that sustainable methods can be just as/more efficient than bottom trawling. Your concerns regarding this method seem more aligned to the current commercial catch limits rather than the actual method itself.

We have a strong team behind our social posts making sure that we share the best available information. So we would love to hear about the instances where the facts have been wrong so we can clear this up.

Trolling on social media isn’t the best way to engage with us. Paul, you are always welcome to contact us directly so we can engage in meaningful conversations over some great kai.

Cheers,

Katie