Telling our story with pride

It has never been more important for New Zealand’s seafood sector to speak up and tell our story. 

Seafood is now very much part of the national conversation about oceans, biodiversity, food, sustainability and livelihoods. When those conversations happen, the people who actually work in the industry need to be part of them.  

Otherwise, others define the narrative for us. 

That means engaging with media, explaining what fishing in New Zealand looks like, and correcting misinformation when it appears. It also means doing so in a calm and factual way – not defensively, but confidently. 

A recent example was Seafood New Zealand Chief Executive Lisa Futschek’s interview on The Detail with Radio New Zealand journalist Amanda Gillies. The discussion covered several issues, including the debate around ring-net fishing in the Hauraki Gulf and the wider conversation about the impacts of bottom trawling. 

Lisa's approach was to calmly and clearly explain the facts, and speak to the realities faced by fishers. She spoke about the small family-owned ring-netting businesses in the Gulf, explaining that these are small boats using hand-set and hand-hauled nets that have operated in the area for decades. 

She also addressed broader claims about commercial fishing, including bottom trawling. Lisa pointed out that New Zealand’s commercial fishers are among the most regulated in the world, operating under strict rules, monitoring and allowable catch through the Quota Management System. And, as per the quote up top, she also rejected the idea that commercial fishing alone is responsible for ecosystem decline in the Gulf.  

Importantly, Lisa emphasised something often lost in public debate – the seafood sector depends on healthy oceans. Without sustainable fish stocks and healthy marine ecosystems, there is no seafood industry.  

The entire interview is really worth a listen. 

Some days are busier than others, but Seafood New Zealand often responds to multiple media enquiries in a day. The topics vary widely – the price of fish and chips, fisheries policy, export markets, trade issues or questions about particular fishing methods like bottom trawling. We welcome the questions as we see each enquiry as another opportunity to share accurate information about how we operate. 

We know people in our sector are busy, you’re not always online and you don’t always catch the conversations we’re having with media – that's why we have created a new In the Media page on our website, where you can see interviews, articles and coverage featuring the sector. 

But it’s not just media. Some of the most powerful storytelling happens away from microphones and cameras. 

Recently we heard from Mike Terry Senior in the Hawke’s Bay who, along with son Mike Terry Junior, visited a local school to talk to students about what they do for a living. They spoke about the fish they catch, how fishing works and why looking after the ocean matters. They filleted a john dory and dished up some freshly cooked fish ‘n’ chips – so you can imagine it was a big hit.  
 
For many of the students, it was the first time they had met someone who works in the seafood industry. 

At the end of the day all levels of engagement matter. It reminds people that the seafood sector is made up of real New Zealanders – small family businesses, skippers, crew, processors and coastal communities who take pride in producing food for the country and the world. 

Owning our narrative isn’t about winning every debate or correcting every headline. It’s about consistently showing up – with facts, honesty and pride in what we do. 

And the more we all do that, the stronger our sector will be for it.