Marine – What will be your legacy?

Another summer has come to a close, and I hope you made the most of it, spending time on the water and creating memories with loved ones. Summer is also a time to reflect on how much our coastal marine environment has changed since we were young.Within our lifetimes we’ve witnessed dramatic changes.

It’s concerning that future generations of Kiwi kids will grow up not seeing the same rich diversity of species and abundance that we took for granted. It feels like just yesterday that my grandfather was catching hapukū off Mathesons Reef. So, what can we do to enhance the legacy we will leave for our grandkids?Right now we have to take action to address the depletion of our coastal fisheries so we can continue the traditions of sharing our catch with family and enjoying a healthy marine environment.



Every one of us can make a difference, whether that’s holding our government to account, asking for answers from our local MP, or changing our habits.As the productivity of our coastal marine environment declines, quota owners are growing desperate to make more money and harvest more fish. Shane Jones, Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, recently proposed changes to the Fisheries Act that aim to facilitate that.

The changes would allow more fish to be caught and more dead fish to be thrown overboard while enabling on-board cameras to be switched off, reducing transparency. This means fewer fish in the water for you and I.LegaSea and the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council submitted against the proposed “reforms” on April 11.

But it’s not our voice that matters. More than 12,000 Kiwis stood up and used LegaSea’s online form to submit against the Minister’s proposals. If these proposals are made into legislation they will leave behind environmental consequences that will take decades to unwind.

What next?We now have to wait and see if Minister Jones is going to listen to our concerns or march on with his proposals. Meantime, there are still things you can do. Utilisation is conservation.

After the effort of going out and catching a feed, it seems wasteful that most of us throw 70 per cent of the fish away, only consuming the fillets. Let’s be more resourceful.If you’re not a lover of fish heads and frames why not share them with someone who is? You can download the Free Fish Heads app (https://kaiika.

co.nz/freefishheads/) onto your phone then connect with others in your local community who would appreciate those tasty morsels. By utilising more of the fish we catch, we can feed more people and leave more fish in the water.

What if I told you, you could still contribute to restoring our marine environment even after you’re gone? By leaving a bequest to LegaSea (https://legasea.co.nz/support-us/bequests/) in your will, you’re creating a lasting legacy.

This allows us to keep fighting the good fight for more fish in the water and fair access for all Kiwis.Everyone of us can make a difference. Together we can ensure that our grandkids inherit more than just a few dollars – we can give them a healthy ocean, where they can fish and feed their families for generations to come.

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