The National Party has unveiled a major fisheries and marine protection policy ahead of the November election, promising new marine reserves, tougher penalties for illegal fishing and a $20 million innovation fund to support the future of Aotearoa’s seafood industry.
National’s Oceans and Fisheries spokesperson Todd McClay and Conservation spokesperson Tama Potaka say the party’s plan is designed to restore fish stocks, protect vulnerable marine environments and balance the interests of recreational, customary and commercial fishers.
The announcement places particular emphasis on the health of the Hauraki Gulf, protecting marine biodiversity and ensuring New Zealanders can continue gathering seafood for future generations.
National says its approach recognises the importance of the ocean to the country’s economy, environment, recreation and cultural identity.
New Marine Reserves for the Hauraki Gulf
A central commitment is the establishment of a new marine reserve off Waiheke Island, alongside an expansion of the existing Goat Island/Te Hāwere-a-Maki Marine Reserve.
The party says these measures would strengthen protection for marine ecosystems while supporting the recovery of fish populations.
National is also promising to ban commercial fishing within the Hauraki Gulf’s designated High Protection Areas and review existing trawl corridors.
The proposals come amid continuing debate about the environmental condition of Tīkapa Moana, the Hauraki Gulf, and the balance between conservation and fishing activity.
Marine protection has become an increasingly prominent election issue, with political parties offering different approaches to commercial fishing restrictions and the restoration of vulnerable ecosystems.
The Green Party has separately proposed removing commercial fishing exemptions within High Protection Areas, phasing out bottom trawling in the Gulf and protecting 30 percent of the area by 2030.
National’s proposals would need to be assessed against those commitments, including the precise boundaries of protected areas and the fishing methods permitted within them.
$20 Million for Fisheries Innovation
National is proposing a $20 million Fish Tech Innovation Fund to support technological improvements across the fisheries sector.
The fund is intended to encourage innovation that could improve sustainability and support the seafood industry’s future.
Technology could play an important role in areas such as fishing efficiency, monitoring, environmental protection and reducing unintended catches.
However, the party’s headline policy does not specify all the eligibility criteria, funding arrangements or projects that would qualify for support.
National is positioning the initiative as part of its wider economic strategy, arguing that environmental protection and a productive seafood industry need to develop together.
The commercial fishing sector remains an important contributor to regional employment, food production and export earnings.
For Māori, fisheries also carry significant economic and cultural importance, including through iwi fishing interests, Treaty settlement arrangements and customary harvesting practices.
Recreational Fishers Promised a Stronger Voice
National says recreational fishers would have a greater role in future fisheries reforms.
The party has also ruled out introducing a recreational fishing licence and committed to preventing the commercial sale of marlin.
These commitments are intended to protect recreational fishing opportunities and maintain public access to the longstanding practice of catching seafood for personal consumption.
The party says decisions about fisheries management should be based on the best available scientific evidence while recognising environmental, recreational, customary and commercial interests.
National is also proposing that fish stocks be managed at healthy and abundant levels rather than simply remaining above minimum sustainability thresholds.
The distinction is significant because fisheries management involves decisions not only about preventing stock collapse but also about the level of abundance needed to sustain ecosystems and fishing opportunities over time.
Crackdown on Illegal Fishing and Rockpool Harvesting
National is promising stronger enforcement of fishing rules, including higher penalties for people who exceed catch limits.
The party also wants to increase the number of Honorary Fisheries Officers to 200.
These officers assist with compliance and public education, supporting efforts to ensure recreational fishing rules are understood and followed.
The proposals include maintaining restrictions on removing shellfish and other marine species from protected rockpools, alongside stricter enforcement and increased penalties.
The commitment follows recent Government announcements targeting the excessive harvesting of marine life from rockpools along the Auckland and Coromandel coastlines.
Concerns about overharvesting have grown as pressure on accessible coastal environments increases.
National argues that stronger compliance measures are necessary to protect marine life and ensure fishing opportunities remain available for future generations.
Expanding Ocean Protection to 50 Percent by 2040
Beyond coastal fisheries, National wants to increase protection across New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone.
The party has set an ambition to increase protected areas from 32 percent to 50 percent by 2040, while preserving vulnerable seamount environments.
Seamounts are underwater mountains that can support diverse marine ecosystems, including habitats for species sensitive to disturbance.
The proposal signals a longer-term approach to ocean protection, although the precise conservation measures and restrictions applying to different areas would need to be established through implementation.
The extent of effective protection would depend on which activities were restricted and how those rules were monitored and enforced.
What Does the Plan Mean for Māori?
For Māori, fisheries policy is closely connected to customary practices, Treaty settlement rights, commercial interests and responsibilities as kaitiaki of the marine environment.
Iwi and hapū have longstanding relationships with coastal areas and fisheries, with customary gathering practices remaining an important part of cultural identity and community life.
The Māori fisheries settlement also established significant commercial interests that remain central to the Māori economy.
National says its policy would uphold the Crown’s Treaty settlement obligations while balancing customary, recreational and commercial fishing interests.
However, the practical implications for Māori would depend on how new marine reserves, fishing restrictions and management arrangements were developed.
Questions remain about the involvement of mana whenua in determining marine protection boundaries, the recognition of customary rights and the role of Māori in fisheries governance.
For iwi with interests in the Hauraki Gulf, the proposals could be particularly significant.
The restoration of marine ecosystems is a shared objective across many communities, but decisions about fishing access and restrictions can have different consequences for customary fishers, commercial operators and recreational users.
Meaningful engagement with affected iwi and hapū would therefore be an important part of developing any new protections.
Fisheries Policy Becomes an Election Battleground
National’s announcement adds to a growing debate over the future of Aotearoa’s marine environment.
The party is seeking to combine stronger environmental protections with support for recreational fishing, fisheries technology and the commercial seafood industry.
Other parties have placed different emphasis on issues such as bottom trawling, commercial fishing exemptions and the pace of marine restoration.
The competing proposals highlight a central challenge for future governments: how to rebuild marine ecosystems while managing the different rights, responsibilities and economic interests connected to the ocean.
For coastal communities, including Māori communities with longstanding relationships to the moana, the decisions made over the coming years could have lasting consequences.
National’s plan includes new marine reserves, a $20 million innovation fund, increased fisheries enforcement and a long-term ambition to expand ocean protection to 50 percent by 2040.
The proposals remain election commitments, and their implementation would depend on the election outcome, future government decisions and the development of detailed policy settings.
With the general election approaching on 7 November, the future of Aotearoa’s fisheries, the health of Tīkapa Moana and the protection of customary fishing interests are set to remain important issues in the campaign.
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