Not Freshwater, but aligned closely:-
Matt Watson discusses the state of New Zealand’s oceans, including concerns about commercial fishing regulations and their impact on recreational fishing.
Matt Watson accuses Shane Jones of favouring commercial industry ‘mates’
Mat is being polite when he says jones is working with the industry. You watch what is next. Slashed rec fishing limits and expanded commercial interests
Snapper down to 2 limit. More and bigger trawlers. It’s rape and pillage under jones ex chair of sealord fisheries .. and the problem is these things take years to undo…j
Matt Watson is expressing his democratic right of an opinion on a subject in which he has considerable knowledge. His comments about what happened with swordfish as a by-catch parallel what happened with trawlers and wild salmon. Jones’s 4.5 km set net proposal will devastate various other (19) species so important to recreational fishes and the sports fishing industry as well as keeping the food web balanced. To the economists who think long-term it must seem crazy to kill one industry for the short term benefit of another. Catching a marlin (and usually releasing) in New Zealand is the Everest of many international big-game anglers. Jones’s and his industry friends seem to exhibiting the classic 19th Century colonialist attitude to natural resources; e.g. like kauri, fur seals and whales. We owe Matt a vote of thanks for fronting the issues.
Well said, Rex.
Watson is 100% right, the fast track bill, was nothing but a bankroll for Jones and Bishop at the expense of the New Zealanders rights of freedom and our environment
I once voted NZ First but in 2026 I will not be because of Shane Jones. It seems incredible that Luxon and Seymour agreed to Jones getting the fisheries minister portfolio, given his well publicised political donations from the likes of Talleys.
Conflict of interest?
Yes
AI says “Shane Jones has received significant political donations, primarily from the fishing industry, notably the Talley’s Group and Sir Peter Talley, totaling at least $66,900 through direct contributions and funding to the NZ First Foundation, with donations often split below disclosure thresholds to avoid public scrutiny between 2017-2019. These funds highlight a close financial link between Jones, NZ First, and major fishing industry players.”
See https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/fishy-influence-how-fishing-industry-captured-shane-jones-edwards-yja4c?
Well worth reading. On Shane Jones’ appointment as Minister of Oceans and Fisheries, is there no accountability. What were national and ACT thinking of when they approved Jones’ fisheries portfolio?
Matt Watson’s video is a great example of how to use social media for effective advocacy. Great stuff.
In the present political environment our politicians are obsessed with cashing up New Zealand’s natural resources. Their fixation on growth and GDP appears to miss the fact they have been elected by the people to act in the interests of the people.
Instead New Zealand is “open for sale” to the highest bidder.
Our fisheries, farms, and factories are increasingly owned by offshore capital with the profits largely lost to parent countries. These foreign owners of our forests, factories, and fishing fleets have no long term interest in the people or the country they are pillaging.
The social fabric of New Zealand is being destroyed through a lack of investment where it counts; housing, health, science and education. This is where we want our politicians to apply themselves.
Our recreation is, (in my view), another essential part of our social fabric that is being destroyed by the same forces. Matt Watson has identified Shane Jone’s sponsorship by commercial fishing as a force destroying recreational marine fishing.
Freshwater anglers’ recreation is being irreversibly lost in many parts of the South Island, not as a pragmatic tradeoff for New Zealand farmers and our collective benefit, but to increase the (obscene) wealth of Australian banks and for the foreign investors in our dairy farms and factories. The jobs created by the industrial dairy industry are not for Kiwis, it simply exploits vulnerable economic refugees. (We are left to fund health, education and welfare for these workers and their families). Corrupting “party donations” from benefiting donors to politicians needs calling out wherever it negatively impacts on mainstream New Zealand.
How about the NZFFA putting together similar videos to highlight the freshwater fisheries of Canterbury and Southland that have been lost due to our government prioritizing the interests of corporate donors to their respective political parties?
This has become urgent as Chris Bishop’s RMA reforms look set to eliminate any opposition to his growth agenda.