End Bottom Trawling: Swim4TheOcean Hits Parliament
The fight to end bottom trawling heads to Parliament this week as nearly 74,000 New Zealanders back the Swim4TheOcean campaign and demand political action to protect our oceans.
Jono Ridler and Live Ocean will meet with political decision-makers from across the House tomorrow, as the Swim4TheOcean message, backed by 73,647 unique signatures, is taken to Parliament.
Meetings are scheduled with a number of cross-party MPs, including Hon Shane Jones, Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, alongside Mr Grant McCallum, MP for Northland who will present the petition to the House.
The call to end bottom trawling, starting with seamounts, marks the next phase of a campaign that has stemmed from Ridler’s unprecedented 1,367km Swim4TheOcean into a nationwide call for decision makers to commit to ending bottom trawling.
74,000 voices take the fight against bottom trawling to Parliament
Over 90 days Ridler swam from Waikuku Beach, North Cape down the entire east coast of the North Island of Aotearoa to Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, where a crowd of thousands gathered to cheer him in on 4 April 2026.
The public petition closed midday today, with the final number reflecting a fully audited total of 73,647 unique signatures. Ridler says the focus now is on ensuring those voices are heard by those with the power to act.
Can politicians finally act on bottom trawling?
“We’ve heard from people right along the coast, people who rely on the ocean, who’ve seen the change in their lifetime, and who want to see it protected. We’ve also seen tens of thousands put their voice forward through our online petition. This is about taking those voices to Parliament and asking decision-makers to act,” says Jono Ridler.
Live Ocean Co-Founder Blair Tuke says the moment is about turning strong public support into practical change.
Tuke says; “We’re asking for a clear step forward, to end bottom trawling on seamounts and begin the transition away from it entirely. This is an outdated practice that damages ocean ecosystems, and we can do better. As a nation of innovators, this is a change New Zealand is capable of making.”
The petition will be formally presented and read in the House on 29 April. From there, it is automatically referred to a Select Committee, where it can be considered in detail before reporting back to Parliament. The full petition wording can be viewed here.
The Swim4TheOcean kaupapa builds on years of work by organisations, communities and individuals across Aotearoa and beyond – reflecting a growing collective push to end bottom trawling and better protect our ocean.
