b"for your interests in having abundant fish stocks, a thriving marine environment, and a fair go for future generations.If youre concerned about the health of our fisheries, you can subscribe to LegaSeas newsletters here. By subscribing you can keep up to date on whats happening, how you can help and bring other people on board to share the load. If the Minister's future decisions are anything like what we have just witnessed, we need all the support we can get.AboutLEGASEA AND THE NEW ZEALAND SPORT FISHING COUNCILLegaSea is a not-for-profit organisation established With this shortsightedby the New Zealand Sport Government decision, is the sunFishing Council in 2012. about to set on the snapper stocksLegaSeas core roles are to for recreational anglers out west?elevate public awareness of the issues affecting New But wait theres more. Commercialindependent from one anotherZealands marine environment catch limits for kingfish on theand that they do not interact. Inand to inspire public support west coast (KIN 7 & 8) were alsoreality, marine ecosystems areto effect positive change.reviewed and increased. Sadly,complex and deeply intertwined. ForLegaSea collaborates with a no new initiatives have beenmany species there is no, or poorrange of organisations to restore introduced by the Minister tostock assessment data to informNew Zealands coastal fisheries.reduce the wasteful catch of kingfishdecision making, yet all specieswww.legasea.co.nzdue to trawling and set netting. contribute to the food chain. The New Zealand Sport Fishing When making decisions, theWe are concerned that theCouncil has 55 member clubs Fisheries Act requires the MinisterMinisters recent decisions willwith 37,000 affiliates. The to take into account all past, presentjeopardise the sustainability ofCouncil advocates for the or future effects of fishing on any fishthe low knowledge, low valueresponsible and sustainable stock and the marine environment.species in the food chain oftenmanagement of New While the use of destructive bulkreferred to as bycatch. Zealands marine resources. To harvesting methods is still permittedConsidering the various externalachieve its goals the Council under the Quota Managementpressures facing our coastal watersfunds education initiatives, System, broader consideration needssuch as warming waters, land- commissions, and funds to be given to all the sea life that willbased run-off, and sedimentation,relevant research projects, be affected now that the catch limitsthe least the Minister couldparticipates and contributes for snapper, pilchard, Jack mackerel,do is reduce something he canto fisheries management and kingfish have increased. control - fishing pressure andprocesses and decisions.And the problem extends beyonddestructive fishing methods. www.nzsportfishing.co.nz/ just fishing methods. The QuotaThe good news is that, irrespectivefisheries/Management System treatsof the Ministers recent decisions, fish stocks as if each species isLegaSea will continue to advocate/FISHINGINGODZONE37"