looking to fundraise for ‘reef cones,’ 
concrete structures surrounding the 
reef Ka pai LegaSea Hawkes Bay.
TARAKIHI IN TROUBLE
Eight years ago, tarakihi on the east 
coast were in trouble. We warned 
fisheries managers that decisive 
action was required to restore 
abundance. They didn’t listen to us 
or the 9000 people who backed 
LegaSea’s “Time Out for Tarakihi” 
campaign. LegaSea and the New 
Zealand Sport Fishing Council called 
for a 65% cut to commercial catch 
limits. Instead, the commercial 
industry’s “rebuild” plan was put in 
place. The Minister cut commercial 
catches by 20% and trusted that 
the plan would deliver the miracle 
required. There’s been no rebuild.
Since 2018, the tarakihi stock has 
halved in size. There are now fewer 
tarakihi in the water than there 
were in 2018. And now, west coast 
tarakihi are in trouble too. The May 
stock assessment estimated that 
92% of the spawning biomass - the 
mature tarakihi capable of breeding, 
has been stripped from the east 
coast. At around 8% of its estimated 
unfished biomass, the east coast 
tarakihi fishery is, by definition, 
collapsed. The west coast fishery 
isn't far behind. In 2026, the first full 
stock assessment was completed. 
The west coast spawning biomass 
is estimated to be sitting at 29% 
of its estimated unfished biomass. 
Fisheries NZ itself defines the west 
coast tarakihi fishery as: overfished 
and declining rapidly, yet their 
proposals fail to offer tarakihi the 
break they so desperately need.
LegaSea and the New Zealand Sport 
Fishing Council will be working with 
NZ Underwater and NZ Angling & 
Casting to make a submission by 
the 24 July deadline. It’s no longer 
"Time Out for Tarakihi" because 
tarakihi are clearly out of time.
LegaSea Hawkes Bay has helped 
the decommissioned trawler 
Twofold Bay being sunk to the 
bottom of Napier’s seafloor to start 
its new life as an artificial reef.
 /FISHINGINGODZONE  47

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