b"Editorial Digital Issue #69 2026FISHING IN GODZONE Issue #69COVER PHOTO A metre long kingfish caught on a F60 West Coast Poppers stick bait off the Hen & Chicks.EDITOR AT LARGE Mathew HewetsonWRITERS & CONTRIBUTORS Scott Cushman, LegaSeaDESIGN Blockstart www.blockstart.co.nzPUBLISHER Marlin Marketing Limited Mathew Hewetson 022 355 0588 mathew@marlinmarketing.co.nzWill marlin be given the green light by Minister Jones for the commercial fishing fleet to land in 2026?W e are into the start ofNorth Cape.The recreational limitFishing In Godzone is subject to copyright in its entirety.The contents may not be a new year and alreadyfor crayfish on Northland's west coastreproduced in any form, in whole there are changeswould also be reduced to two peror in part, without the written permission of the publishers. All and proposals on theday.This is a drastic measure duecopy, photos or other material horizon for kiwi anglersmostly to the high commercial takeforwarded to the magazine will be assumed intended and divers in Godzone.In 2025, weover recent years on the rock lobsterfor publication unless clearly saw in early October that parliamentstocks for exporting to lucrative marketslabelled not for publication.passed the Hauraki Gulf/Tkapa Moanaoverseas, which will now affect everyOpinions expressed from such content are not necessarily Marine Protection Bill into law. day kiwis and things will not stop here. those of the publisher.It has extended protection forLegaSea advised in December thatISSN 23821655two existing marine reservesmore than 22,000 submissions werefishingingodzone.co.nzand added another twelve highreceived against Minister Jones/fishingingodzoneprotection areas (HPAs) and fiveproposed commercial take for dead seafloor protection areas to themarlin landed, that would ultimately marine park.With most restrictionslead to billfish being targeted.That impacting recreational anglers andlevel of public pushback is uncommon allowing some forms of commercialin fisheries, and it shows the massive fishing to continue in some areas. support against such proposals for a From April the first, commercialspecies that is considered so important and recreational fishing for crayfishto recreational anglers and their local off Northland's east coast will becommunities over peak summer fishing.banned in a bid to stop the species'It would be untenable for any minister rapid decline.Oceans and Fisheriesto ignore such a response from the Minister Shane Jones said the five- people and let us hope that this year closure was needed to give thefeedback will help put the brakes on the spiny rock lobster (crayfish) a reprievedead marlin proposal.With an election so its numbers could build up again. looming later this year, the Government The ban would extend from thewill be wise to listen for once.Hauraki Gulf up to, and including,Mathew Hewetson Editor at largeParengarenga Harbour, just south of 6FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE"