21/07/2026
"Where have the Bream Bay work ups gone"!?!
If you’ve spent any time out on the water here lately, you’ve probably noticed a massive change. The legendary surface action we used to rely on has completely gone quiet.
The reality is, commercial trawlers have been working incredibly close to the coast, scooping up massive amounts of the bait fish that anchor our local ecosystem. When you strip out all the smaller fish, the big snapper and kingfish have no reason to stick around—and the ecosystem suffers.
I’m just an ocean lover who cares deeply about our local waters, but seeing our bay targeted like this is devastating. I totally respect that these people are doing a job to provide food on the table for their families, but we as a whole community the people also would like to rely on having a sustainable source of Kai Moana for our families too. So when commercial operations out-compete the local marine life for food, the bigger predatory fish move deep or leave entirely. I'm sharing this purely out of a personal, honest concern for Aotearoa's marine environments. We need sustainable boundaries if we want future generations to experience a healthy thriving ecosystem right?!
This commercial vessel was moving parallel to the island from one end to other in a "mowing the lawns" pattern not sure why that is also can't confirm if was fishing or not but either way have often seen them fishing in close and around in Bay. Either if this vessel is a Trawler or Purse Seine doesn't change the fact for my concerns, as both methods use the same technology to locate schools of fish. Also both use nets in hauling big loads of fish. It would be nice to start seeing some of those classic Bream Bay workups more often with signs of biomass again or even just sight seeing some whales which I haven't seen in a longtime and would see quite on the regular just off the chicks but also catch some decent fish that are in prime fatty healthy condition.
Also mention it's unfortunate how hard it can be to convince the people who currently run our fisheries industry to believe we as the people of NZ truly rely on these waters around us a main sustainable food source and want future generations who can also rely on healthy source of food as fish is such a huge part of our diet living in NZ.
Just speaking as a highly passionate ocean lover who wants to protect what we have. You don't need a certificate to care about the sea, just a genuine respect for it.
Let me know if you've noticed this too and what’s the solution here? Should there be stricter commercial exclusion zones?
Share your thoughts respectfully below👇👇
Keyboard Warriors if you cannot think anything beyond that single plankton placed in-between ears🦠"think outside of box" or "try to look at the bigger picture" obviously not seeing point here...If haven't got anything which is informative, helpful and interesting or even nice things to say then please just don't f***en say it!?! Comment, Share or Follow if you agree or just SMASH 👍Chuur!! FISH HARD....RESPECT TANGAROA HARDER!!! 🫵✌️🤙
One Ocean Project
LegaSea NZ
