If we disagree with a Ministerial 
decision, the public will only 
have 20 working days to legally 
challenge fisheries decisions.
This change follows recent 
High Court decisions on crayfish, 
tarakihi, and the protection of 
hoiho (yellow-eyed penguins) 
which confirmed the Minister 
must take genuine, precautionary 
steps to protect fish stocks 
and marine ecosystems from 
overfishing and long-term damage. 
The Government has responded 
to these rulings not by making 
lawful decisions, but by closing 
the courthouse door. That is not 
law reform; it is self-insulation.
WHAT NOW?
To our disappointment, at the end 
of March a majority of MPs agreed 
to proceed with the Amendment 
Bill. The Bill has been referred to 
the Primary Production Select 
Committee. This will be the last 
stage that we can submit and 
influence MPs to make meaningful 
changes to the Bill before it 
becomes official legislation.
The Select Committee needs to 
hear our voices. More than 25,000 
Kiwis spoke up last year and now we 
need to do it again, this time louder.
LegaSea and our aligned partners 
will be fighting tooth and nail to 
Kill the Bill. Join us in keeping 
the pressure on our politicians 
to stand up for healthy fisheries, 
for our kids and theirs.
We do not accept a future where 
Kiwis are left with the leftovers of a 
degraded marine environment and a 
broken quota management system. 
We say Kill the whole Bill. Now.
The Bill opens the door to more waste, 
legalising more dumping of unwanted dead 
fish overboard on commercial bottom trawlers. 
Photo credit: Sora Waningsinggel
Feature
14  FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE

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