Jeremy has 50 years of fishing 
experience and provides his tips 
to become a better angler.
T
he Minister reluctantly 
announced in June 
that his “beloved” Bill 
will not be progressed 
by the current 
government. In simple 
terms: The Bill is on ice. 
This outcome belongs 
to the 33,000 people who made 
their voice heard back in May, and 
everyone who emailed their local 
MP. This is a significant win for the 
future of our fisheries. Together we 
prevented some of the most drastic 
changes to our fisheries in decades 
from becoming reality this year.
The most contentious proposals 
included removing commercial 
minimum size limits, limiting public 
consultation on changes to catch 
limits, and prohibiting public access 
to on-board camera footage under 
the Official Information Act. The 
devil is in the detail. Hidden within 
legal jargon were amendments 
that would’ve handed more 
control of our fisheries to private 
quota holders whose focus is to 
maximise their returns from fish.
That would eventually mean fewer 
fish in the water, making it harder 
for us to gather a feed and share it 
with whānau and friends. Rather 
than making it easier for our fish 
to be exploited and exported, we 
now have some breathing room to 
focus on implementing changes 
that restore abundance and 
diversity to our coastal waters.
How many more closures or 
collapsed fish stocks will it take 
before officials wake up and smell 
the offal? The “world-leading” Quota 
Management System is no longer 
fit for purpose, and everyday Kiwis 
are the ones bearing the cost. If 
we want our future generations 
to experience the thrill of hooking 
a kahawai, collecting scallops, or 
witnessing the magic of baitfish boil-
ups, then the status quo must go.
This election year, we have a 
chance to change the downward 
trajectory of our fisheries. Ask your 
local MP where their party stands on 
implementing fisheries policies that 
benefit the future of New Zealand's 
marine environment. Will they 
commit to abandoning the current 
version of the Fisheries Amendment 
Bill? Will they consider a transition 
away from bottom trawling in our 
coastal fisheries? I Fish. I Care. I Vote.
Support LegaSea and their tarakihi 
submission by the 24th of July to 
help the fishery so everyday Kiwi 
anglers can still catch tarakihi.
Feature
44  FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE

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