I
n April and May, more than 
30,000 concerned Kiwis made 
their submission opposing the 
Bill. “Corrupt,” “rotten” and 
“shocking” were just some 
of the words that were used 
to describe the Bill and not 
without reason. Shane Jones’ 
Bill seeks to prioritise seafood 
exports ahead of our ability to catch 
a feed and enjoy a healthy and 
abundant marine environment.
If the Bill becomes legislation, 
future generations won’t inherit 
thriving fisheries; they’ll inherit 
the leftovers of a degraded 
marine environment.
LegaSea, alongside the New 
Zealand Sport Fishing Council, 
NZ Angling & Casting and NZ 
Underwater have compiled a 
comprehensive submission rejecting 
the Amendment Bill outright. We 
exposed its deep flaws and stood up 
for what’s best for our fisheries and 
the interests of all New Zealanders.
Recent Horizon Research polling 
showed that more than 50% of 
New Zealanders want the Bill to 
be withdrawn immediately to 
allow for more consultation with 
the public.  Until November, we 
need to keep the pressure on 
our politicians to listen to the 
people and stop the Fisheries 
Amendment Bill dead in the water.
WE ARE IN A CRISIS
To put it bluntly, we are in 
a crisis of depletion.
Shane Jones, the Minister for 
Oceans and Fisheries, deputy 
leader of New Zealand First, and 
the driving force behind the Bill, 
claims it will improve efficiency by 
cutting costs for commercial fishers.
But that claim avoids the 
uncomfortable truth that 
efficiency isn’t declining because 
of what the Minister refers to 
as unnecessary “red tape.” It’s 
declining because there are fewer 
fish. When fish are scarce, it takes 
more time, more fuel, more effort 
and larger nets to catch fish.
As fish become scarcer and fuel costs 
rise, indiscriminate and destructive 
fishing methods like bottom trawling 
become the most economically 
efficient way to fish commercially.
Photo: Jason Crew
Feature
34  FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE

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