Working Together

During the year the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council and LegaSea collaborated with member clubs, aligned organisations, individual experts and advocates to develop a range of material.

This collaboration led to the development of submissions and presentations, support in response to fisheries management reviews, policy proposals, environmental initiatives and community outreach.

The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council and LegaSea acknowledge and are grateful for the support and cooperation of many individuals and organisations including the following: – Blue Water Marine Research – Deepsea Conservation Coalition – Dive Zone Whitianga – Environment and Conservation Organisation of

Aotearoa New Zealand – ECO – Greenpeace New Zealand – Guardians of the Sea Charitable Trust – Hokianga Accord, mid north iwi fisheries forum – KASM (Kiwi’s Against Seabed Mining) – Marlborough Recreational Fishers Association – Napier Port – Napier Port Fishing Liaison Group – New Zealand Angling & Casting Association – New Zealand Marine Research Foundation – New Zealand Underwater Association

– NIWA – Opito Bay Ratepayers Association – Outboard Boating Club of Auckland – Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae – Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society of New

Zealand – Spearfishing NZ – Sustainable Coastlines – Te Pūtahi a Toi, School of Māori Knowledge,

Massey University – Te Rūnanga Ā Iwi O Ngāpuhi – University of Auckland – Waiheke Marine Project – Future Search – Yachting New Zealand

SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION

Since October 2020 the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council and LegaSea have collaborated with a number of organisations to address ongoing depletion of scallops in Opito Bay, eastern Coromandel. Action has been led by local iwi Ngāti Hei and the Opito Bay Ratepayers Association.

This collaboration inspired the community to draw its resources together to develop a restoration plan. Many organisations came onboard to help, including Dive Zone Whitianga, Kūaotunu Residents & Ratepayers Association, New Zealand Underwater Association, Tairua-Pauanui Sports Fishing Club, Mercury Bay Game Fishing Club, Matarangi Boat & Fishing Club, Whangamata Ocean Sports Club and Whitianga Oceans Festival.

Communities rallied and traction for the cause snowballed. The community was eager to protect scallops and take a stand against scallop dredging which is destroying the seafloor. Letters were written to David Parker, Minister of Oceans and Fisheries. A voluntary ban and rāhui on all harvest of scallops from Opito Bay was applied from December 2020.

The New Zealand Sport Fishing Council commissioned a citizen science scallop survey carried out by scientists from Toi Ohomai, volunteer divers from Dive Zone Whitianga, and data collectors from local clubs and communities.

This collaboration was a success due to the communities’ passion for the cause, the generosity of many people and organisations, and the countless volunteer hours from those involved.