1-on-1 in 10 with Matt Watson: They Tried to Hide This Fishing Law… Until Kiwis Found It
“They didn’t think anyone would notice.”
Matt Watson says they were wrong.
Recreational fishing icon Matt Watson says this new Fisheries Amendment Bill didn’t just slip under the radar — it was quietly buried.
Until Kiwis started digging.
In this week’s 1-on-1 in 10, Watson lays out why this law has sparked outrage across the country — from weekend fishers to coastal communities — and why the fight over our oceans is far from over.
So what’s actually buried inside this fishing law?
We’re talking:
– rules that could allow more aggressive commercial fishing
– restrictions on access to on-board camera footage
– fines that could punish people for exposing environmental damage
– and a growing sense that the system is being written for industry, not the public
Who really owns New Zealand’s fish?
At the heart of it? A simple question:
Who actually owns New Zealand’s fish — the public, or the companies pulling them out?
Because when 95% of the catch is already going to commercial operators, every policy shift matters.
This isn’t just about fishing.
It’s about transparency, power, and who gets a say in how our natural resources are used.
And if this law passes as-is, the consequences won’t stay at sea.
Thank goodness there are people in this world like Matt, ready to stand up to corrupt politicians and greedy corporations.
There is nothing transparent about Jones – he is a lying, devious scoundrel. Of course his fisheries bill is all in favour of those who contribute to his coffers and definitely does not benefit recreational fishers. He is so blinkered he clearly doesn’t realise that his gravy train will come unstuck very soon as ‘climate’ – that word so downplayed by NZF – bites big time. Thx Matt.