Oceans and Fisheries

nature and climate

Calls for fisheries amendment bill to be dropped completely

The Green Party is welcoming the Government's backdown on the Fisheries Amendment Bill, but says the Bill needs to be scrapped completely, not just delayed.“The Government may be at war with nature in their plans to privatise our oceans, conservation land and waterways, but people are pushing back and winning,” says Green Party Co-leader and Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick. Fisheries Minister Shane Jones today confirmed he would delay the Bill until after the election.   “This is the same...

Posted at July 08, 2026 4:14 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick

nature and climate

People and nature first in Greens’ rivers and oceans policy

The Green Party is calling foul on the Luxon Government’s dismantling of environmental protection, announcing a policy programme to deliver clean drinking water, swimmable rivers and beaches, and healthy oceans for all New Zealanders.“This is about protecting our taiao. The Green Party has announced its policy programme ‘Drink Swim Fish’ which will deliver far reaching environmental change and protect human and ecological health from harm caused by corporate greed,” says Green Party Co-leader Marama Davidson. “Clean, healthy water is a human right,...

Posted at July 06, 2026 1:45 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson

nature and climate

Fisheries Bill sacrifices the future of fishing for corporate profits

The Green Party is warning that the Government’s complete rewrite of the Fisheries Act will privatise one of our largest public assets and push fish stocks closer to wipe out.“The Fisheries Amendment Bill signs away insane industry power over our oceans and fisheries at the expense of regular New Zealanders and the environment that sustains us,” says Green Party Co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick.  “New Zealanders pushed back hard last week, and the Minister was forced to abandon the removal of minimum fish size requirements for commercial operators, but the Government needs to gut the whole damn Bill.  “We cannot let Christopher Luxon and the National Party...

Posted at March 31, 2026 4:31 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick

nature and climate

Green Member’s Bill to recognise the personhood of tohorā

Green Party MP Teanau Tuiono has launched his Member’s Bill to recognise whales as legal persons with inherent rights, including the right to freedom of movement, a healthy environment, and the ability to thrive alongside humanity. “Our tohorā are sacred ancestors for many communities across Te Moana Nui a Kiwa, but they are under threat from commercial fishing, pollution, and climate change.” says Teanau Tuiono.  “This Bill represents a transformation in how we protect our marine species and the wider moana, to create a law...

Posted at February 09, 2026 10:14 AM by Teanau Tuiono

nature and climate

Shane Jones’ gift to big fishing a blow to sustainability

The Green Party is appalled by the Government’s fishing industry plans to allow greater catch limits and stop on-board camera footage from being made public.“Let’s be perfectly clear; this is nothing short of a handout to the fishing industry,” says the Green Party’s Oceans and Fisheries spokesperson, Teanau Tuiono. “Instead of pandering to industry interests, the Minister must wake up to the reality that he has a responsibility to protect our oceans so that future generations can enjoy what we...

Posted at August 06, 2025 10:46 AM by Teanau Tuiono

nature and climate

Shane Jones has no shame

Shane Jones’ display on Q&A showed how out of touch he and this Government are with our communities and how in sync they are with companies with little concern for people and planet. “Shane Jones is nothing more than a puppet for private interest, parroting industry talking points while allowing our oceans to be exploited and abused for short-term profit that will come with long-term consequences,” says the Green Party’s spokesperson for Oceans, Teanau Tuiono. “Instead of pandering to industry interests,...

Posted at March 16, 2025 9:57 AM by Teanau Tuiono

nature and climate

Fisheries consultation must put sustainability before profit

The Green Party is urgently calling on the Government to prioritise long-term prosperity of our oceans in its consultation on the Fisheries Act.“Our oceans are in a state of decline, continuing to put short-term profit before long-term sustainability will see the health of our ocean life wash away," says Green Party’s Oceans and Fisheries spokesperson Teanau Tuiono. “Minister Jones has stated ‘sustainability will always be the bottom line for fisheries management,’ but we have seen decisions from the Government completely...

Posted at February 12, 2025 10:21 AM by Teanau Tuiono

nature and climate

Greens call for bottom trawling ban and call out Minister for lacklustre response

The Green Party is urgently calling on the Government to ban bottom trawling, following news a New Zealand bottom trawler caught 37kg of coral in international waters, prompting the suspension of all fishing in the area until 2026.“We either ban bottom trawling or we allow our ocean ecosystems to be ripped apart and washed away,” says the Green Party Spokesperson for Oceans and Fisheries, Teanau Tuiono. “Our oceans are the lifeblood of Aotearoa. It is incumbent upon us to protect...

Posted at November 01, 2024 11:06 AM by Teanau Tuiono

nature and climate

Marine Protection Bill encouraging, but more work required

The Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill is an encouraging example of what cross-party co-operation can achieve.“Today was a positive step forward, but there is still a mountain to climb when it comes to protecting and preserving the health of our ocean,” says Green Party co-leader Marama Davidson. “While we join the Environment select committee in supporting the recommendations for amendment, the Green Party would have liked to see the ecological integrity and mauri of Tīkapa Moana /...

Posted at June 20, 2024 2:59 PM by Chlöe Swarbrick and Marama Davidson

nature and climate

The Time is Now for Oceans Protection

Community organisations, mana whenua and the Greens have written to the incoming Minister of Oceans and Fisheries to call for the progression without delay of the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana Marine Protection Bill.“The Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana/Te Moananui ā Toi ecosystem is on the brink of collapse. The incoming Government must not only continue progress on the hard-fought-for Marine Protection Bill, but do the scientifically necessary actions to end bottom trawling in the Gulf and protect at least 30% of our oceans,”...

Posted at November 28, 2023 6:54 AM by Chlöe Swarbrick

nature and climate

Healthy Ocean Act - Marama Davidson Speech

He mōhio ō tātou tīpuna ki te tirotiro taiao.I mātakitaki rātou i ngā huringa o te marama, o te rā, o ngā whetū me ō rātou hononga ki te moana.   I whakapaipaingia ake e rātou ēnei māramatanga i ngā marama, i ngā tau, i ngā rautau me te āta tuku iho. *** Toitū te marae a Tāne-Mahuta, toitū te marae a Tangaroa, toitū te tangata. If the land is well and the sea is well, the people will thrive.  I grew...

Posted at September 10, 2023 12:00 PM by Marama Davidson