Source: Greenpeace Aotearoa
Environmental groups are calling out the New Zealand Government for attempting to reopen a coral hotspot to bottom trawling, despite recent scientific findings proving the site is home to diverse deep-sea life.[1]
New Zealand, which is the only country still bottom trawling the High Seas of the South Pacific, made the proposal [2] ahead of an international fisheries meeting [3], arguing the Lord Howe Rise seamount should be reopened to trawlers.
A report, released this week, details that New Zealand’s proposal to resume trawling was considered by members of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation (SPRFMO), along with Greenpeace evidence of vulnerable life at the site. The SPRFMO Scientific Committee recommended the area should remain closed, acknowledging the risk of further impacts.[4]
Ellie Hooper, oceans campaigner at Greenpeace Aotearoa, is calling the move by the New Zealand Government “yet another example of this government acting against the best available science and the interests of the ocean.
“Scientists went to the Lord Howe Rise and found exactly what we should be protecting: ancient coral communities and a rich, vulnerable deep-sea habitat. But instead of choosing to safeguard this extraordinary place, the New Zealand’s Government had proposed sending destructive trawlers back.”
During the research expedition conducted in March last year, scientists documented hundreds of fragile corals and other vulnerable marine life at the Lord Howe Rise site, ocean life that is meant to be protected from bottom trawling under international rules.[5]
“This should have given them more than enough cause to protect this area from further harm,” says Hooper, “but NZ still tried its luck to open the area.”
The seamount in question has a colourful history. It was temporarily closed to bottom trawling in 2024 after Westfleet trawler the Tasman Viking dragged up 37kg of coral there [6]. This prompted Greenpeace and scientists to investigate the area.
“The public needs to ask why, when scientists present undeniable evidence of important deep-sea life, the Government’s first instinct is to clear a path for commercial trawlers,” says Karli Thomas of the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition.
“Not only did our Government push to reopen a biodiversity hotspot, it acted as a mouthpiece for industry lobbyists at this recent fisheries meeting – speaking on behalf of the High Seas Fishing Group which wanted to continue trawling the seamount. It is clear whose interests the government is prioritising.”
Over the past five years, commercial fishing companies including Westfleet, have donated to Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones, and his party New Zealand First.[7]
In the same timeframe, New Zealand has increasingly become an international outlier on high seas marine protection. Since taking office in 2023, the government blocked the implementation of protections for vulnerable marine ecosystems [8], and proposed raising the limit on how much coral trawlers can destroy as bycatch.[9]
While New Zealand’s proposal to reopen the Lord Howe site was unsuccessful, campaigners warn the intention signals what’s at stake in the upcoming election.
“Science and sense has prevailed here – but that’s in spite of the New Zealand government, not because of them,” says Hooper.
“We’re a nation of ocean lovers, the vast majority want coral habitats protected from trawling, but the position our government takes on these issues is often the opposite of that. They go into bat for industry above all else.
“We urge people to look closely at what political parties have done, and what they are committing to when it comes to ocean protection this election. Right now we have a choice – let destructive fishing continue to degrade the ocean, or choose protection and recovery.
“Protecting these ecosystems is vital and any political party looking to win with the tens of thousands of New Zealanders who want that – would commit to that without delay.”
Greenpeace has released an election scorecard that ranks political parties’ positions on ocean issues [10].
Notes
- Lord Howe Rise findings (Greenpeace)
- New Zealand encounter review to SC Aug 2026
- Meeting of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation’s Scientific Committee
- SPRFMO SC14 report
- UNGA Resolution 61/105
- Tasman Viking drags up coral from Lord Howe
- Westfleet donates to Shane Jones
- NZ blocks VME protection
- NZ proposal to increase coral bycatch
- Oceans election scorecard