This week, Seafood New Zealand Chief Executive Lisa Futschek takes us out on the water, reflecting on her recent experience at sea.
Last week, I had the opportunity to head out on the water with a ring net fisher in Whangārei. It's one thing to talk about our industry from meeting rooms and offices; it's another to experience it firsthand, alongside the people who do this work every day.
Ring-net fishing has been talked about a lot over the past year, particularly because of the small, tightly defined exemption that allows a handful of fishers to continue operating in a limited part of the Hauraki Gulf for a short period each year. This grandfathered provision recognises existing operations that were not included in earlier consultation processes.
With so much public discussion about this lesser known fishing method, I wanted to spend time out on the water with a ring net fisher so I can speak about it from first-hand experience when talking with media and other parties, rather than relying on second-hand descriptions.
Colin and Toni Lowe were generous, welcoming hosts, and I'm grateful for the time they spent with me in their home and on their boat. It was a windy day, and under normal circumstances Colin wouldn't have gone out. But he did, because he wanted me to properly understand what ring net fishing looks like in practice.
What struck me immediately was the scale. When people talk about fishing - particularly ring net fishing - there's often an assumption that it involves large vessels and heavy machinery. In reality, Colin's boat was modest, and everything we did was hands-on. Pulling the net back in was hard work. It was heavy, physical, and entirely manual. There was no automation - just experience, teamwork, and effort.
As we worked, Colin talked me through what to look for on the water, pointing out subtle changes in colour that signal mullet feeding below the surface. That knowledge doesn't come from a manual; it comes from years of being out there, reading the ocean and understanding its rhythms.
We caught a range of fish that day, including grey mullet, parore and snapper. I watched closely as Colin checked each fish carefully, assessing size and condition, and returning undersized fish straight back to the water. It was calm, practiced decision-making; a reminder that responsible fishing isn't theoretical. It happens in real time, through hundreds of small, deliberate choices made on the water.
Quality is something Colin takes enormous pride in. Fish were handled carefully, with rubber gloves, and iced properly with no shortcuts taken. At one point he said something that struck me: "Not everyone can afford a fishing boat, or knows how to fish, so we do it for them." It's a simple statement, but it captures the service our sector provides to New Zealanders every day.
Fishing for Colin and Toni is very much a family affair. They're a team in every sense, and their son Josh is also a fisher. Their journey into the industry began with smoking fish, then selling it, and eventually deciding to catch their own. It's a story of hard work, initiative, and building something over time. Even Buddy, their dog, plays his part - and I'll admit I made a new best friend that day.
Being out on the ocean was stunning. But more than that, it was grounding. Experiences like this matter. They remind me why telling our story accurately and honestly is so important. Behind every debate, headline, or policy discussion are real people working hard, doing things properly, and taking pride in what they do.
I'm grateful for the chance to see that up close - and proud to represent a sector made up of people like Colin, Toni and their family.
