Making Marine Matter More
On Saturday 18 April, we hosted the first ‘Marine Policy Forum’. We brought together 15 conservation organisations and legendary ocean swimmer, Jono Ridler, with six political parties to talk about our hopes and wishes for the oceans. And it showed that we are more unified by shared goals than we are apart.
Across the spectrum, left, right and centre, environmentalists, recreational fishers, the public and politicians in the room, all want a flourishing and abundant marine environment. Instead of diminishing baselines with fewer fishes and bird life with every generation, we want healthy oceans for the future.
The Marine Policy Forum was to bring everyone together and put oceans on the agenda this election year. Everything is connected. All the good, all the harm. And there was a lot of good in the room!
Groups present ranged from Legasea / The Sports Fishing Council, to SAFE. The Te Henga Tūturiwhatu / dotterel minders were there, as was the Northern NZ Seabird Trust and Birdcare Aotearoa. We heard from Guardians of Bream Bay who are currently in court against fast-tracked seabed mining, and Kiwis Against Seabed Mining who have fought in the court for decades. Protect Rockpools were there. We heard from Emeritus Professor, Dr Liz Slooten about gill and trawl nets killing Māui and Hector’s dolphins in widely unprotected habitat.
Bottom trawling kills Hector’s dolphins within 1nm of shore, and we heard from Jono Ridler back from his epic ocean swim down the length of the North Island, as well as Greenpeace, against this destructive and unacceptable fishing method which destroys everything in its path.
We heard solutions available at local government level - potentially through regional coastal plans which have been blocked by central government, and navigational safety bylaws. Other solutions were put forward by WWF-NZ and the Environmental Defence Society.
Politicians from National, ACT, Labour, the Greens, Opportunity and the Animal Justice Party all spoke about their visions for the oceans’ future.
You can see highlights of the event, and statements from some of the politicians in the short video here.
Marine destruction is fast tracked. Protection is slow. Communities are picking up the pieces.
Rockpools are barren. Coastal and seabirds are in trouble. Fishes are suffering in factory farms. The fishing industry, with its seine nets and bottom trawling, is wiping out sea life.
Seabed mining sucks. It is not wanted or needed. Māui and Hector’s dolphins are the icons of all these impacts. Yet if we protect Māui and Hector’s dolphins, we protect the oceans.
From the Marine Policy Forum, we want more enforcement, less industry capture. More moral courage. We want an oceans commission, a commissioner for animals. Powers for local government. A ban on bottom trawling. A ban on seabed mining. To kill the fisheries Bill. An Oceans Act. Action for the oceans.
With your support, we amplify and add to the movement to make marine matter more.
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Together we are stronger.
Setting the scene at the Marine Policy Forum Photo: Venessa Weston
Posted: 5 May 2026