LegaSea
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LegaSea is a non-profit organisation established by the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council in 2012 to improve the sustainability of marine ecosystems in New Zealand.
 The official logo of LegaSea as of March 2026 | |
| Predecessor | option4 |
|---|---|
| Formation | 2012 |
| Founder | Scott Macindoe |
| Legal status | Non-profit organisation |
| Purpose | Marine conservation and sustainability of fisheries |
| Location |
|
Official language | English |
LegaSea Program Lead | Sam Woolford |
Parent organization | New Zealand Sport Fishing Council |
| Affiliations | FishCare, Rescue Fish, Kai Ika |
| Website | https://legasea.co.nz/ |
History
LegaSea was founded in 2012 as a subsidiary of the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council, an incorporated society and national body established in 1959 that represents more than 36,200 affiliated members across 55 clubs in New Zealand from Southland to Northland.[1][2] The organisation was created to increase public awareness regarding the marine environment and advocate for a healthier ecosystem.
LegaSea was preceded by option4, a grassroots initiative formed in mid-2000 due to concerns about government proposals affecting recreational fishing, which garnered support from over 100,000 people. option4 disbanded in 2011 to work alongside the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council, leading to the establishment of LegaSea.[3]
LegaSea was launched on the 9th of February, 2012, at Oram's Marine Centre in Auckland.[4]
Objectives
LegaSea's mission is to build abundant fisheries, maintain a diverse marine ecosystem, and to ensure the survival and sustainability of key fish stocks for future generations. Its policies and actions taken are outlined in the Fisheries Manifesto.[5][6] LegaSea believes that New Zealand's fisheries are owned by the New Zealand public and managed by the Crown, and both the organisation's supporters and the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council oppose any attempts to privatise the fisheries' assets.
LegaSea's 5 main policies, as listed in their manifesto, are the following:
- Establish a Royal Commission of Inquiry into fisheries management and the Quota Management System;
- Amend the Fisheries Act 1996 to include an Allocation Principle;
- Remove industrial fishing methods such as trawling, seining and dredging from the inshore zone;
- Establish a separate, well-resourced Ministry of Fisheries;
- Amend section 13 of the Fisheries Act 1996 to replace the minimum stock target of BMSY with a minimum biomass target of B50, that is 50% of the unfished stock size.[7]
Programmes
Rescue Fish
Rescue Fish is a proposal launched by LegaSea in 2020.[8] This proposal aims to restore abundance and fairness to the management of New Zealand fisheries, with the goal of delivering restored abundance, greater food security, and economic well-being. LegaSea Program Lead and spokesperson, Sam Woolford, claims the Rescue Fish policy aims to “ensure the supply of kai moana for future generations of Kiwis, while providing much needed income and jobs for regional New Zealanders.”[9][10][11] Rescue Fish's principles are stated as the following:
- All Fisheries laws will comply with Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
- The living marine resources of Aotearoa New Zealand remain the property of the people and cannot become the private property of private companies or individuals or sold abroad.
- All fisheries must be biologically, economically, and socially sustainable.
- To the greatest extent possible, commercial fishing rights will be granted in line with the principles of a market based system. The legislation will prevent private sales of licences or fishing rights.
- Catches will be landed in New Zealand and to the extent possible be processed here for added value.
- Only New Zealand owned and registered companies, or private New Zealand citizens, paying taxes in New Zealand and complying with all relevant employment and maritime law will be able to participate in New Zealand's commercial fisheries.
- Within the inshore zone (12 nautical miles or 200 metre depth, whichever is more distant from shore) commercial fishing vessels may only be operated by the owner of the fishing permit.[12]
Hauraki Gulf Campaigns
LegaSea is involved in campaigns to restrict destructive fishing methods in the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, stretching from Te Ārai, Bream Bay to Waihi Beach, opposing fishing methods such as bottom trawling, Danish seining, and scallop dredging. In 2022, LegaSea established the Hauraki Gulf Alliance, a coalition of environmental organisations and community groups advocating the removal of these practices from the Hauraki Gulf.[13]
FishCare
FishCare is an educational and environmental initiative established by the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC) and LegaSea. The programme educates recreational fishers on how to reduce their impact on the marine environment in order to ensure more fish in the water for future generations. FishCare focuses on rebuilding abundant inshore fisheries through advocacy, education and research by:
- Ensuring information on New Zealand fisheries is accessible to the public;
- Advocating on behalf of NZSFC members and recreational fishers to policymakers and decision makers;
- Informing and educating New Zealanders about issues affecting their fisheries and marine environment;
- Educating recreational fishers about best practice fishing and how to minimise their impact on the marine environment;
- Engaging with local communities through various activities including freefishheads.co.nz and Hiwi the Kiwi;
- Funding research on relevant topics;
- Producing evidence-based submissions on fisheries management and marine protection policies and proposals through the NZSFC fisheries management team.[14][15]
Kai Ika
The Kai Ika Project was founded in 2016 in Auckland, New Zealand, as a partnership between LegaSea, the Outboard Boating Club of Auckland (OBC), and Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae. The project was initiated by LegaSea founder Scott Macindoe and Lionel Hotene of Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae.[16][17] The Kai Ika project focuses on reducing waste in the fishing industry by reusing fish heads, frames, and offal that would otherwise be discarded. Since September 2016, the Kai Ika project collected discarded fish parts and redistributed them to community groups in South Auckland. Their mission is to minimise the impact on the marine environment through better utilisation of natural resources, and they aim to connect New Zealanders through the appreciation of all parts of kai moana.[18]
Public Engagement
LegaSea raises public awareness about fishing and the marine environment through articles, social media, and newsletters. It is funded by public donations and a range of corporate partners.[19] They also engage with the public through: campaigning to raise awareness about marine fisheries issues,[20] take reports and research outcomes,[21] educating and collaborating with community organisations in events related to marine management and conservation,[22] and dedicating resources to aligning with other representative organisations that seek to restore depleted fisheries and reduce human impact on the marine environment.[23] LegaSea gains support and funding from recreational fishers, environmental advocates, corporate sponsors, and members of the general public interested in marine conservation and the sustainability of fisheries.[24] All of LegaSea's operations are covered by sponsors, private donors and commercial partners, which they use to advocate, research and educate.[25]