A convoy of about 500 vehicles, many towing boats, travelled almost 30km across Auckland this morning in protest of fishing reforms.
The One Ocean protest started in Albany with the fleet driving over the Auckland Harbour Bridge to Mission Bay.
Vehicles piled into the Albany Bus Station park and ride between 7am and the departure time of 9am. There were so many the gathering overflowed into a Wilson carpark across the road.
Police estimated 500 vehicles attended the protest, including more than 300 towing boats.
The Northern Motorway leading to the Oteha Valley Rd off-ramp was congested as protesters queued to arrive at the starting point.
Fishers had various reasons for attending, one being aspects of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Protection Act, which would let commercial ring net fishing operators exclusively use two highly protected marine areas.
Protest co-organiser Scott Malcon said the rule, which came into effect with the legislation last month, sets a bad precedent.
He said 75% of marine protected areas are allowed to be commercially fished in Australia but that should not become the norm here.
Another reason for the protest was a proposed regulation change that would allow marlin and 19 other reef fish species to be sold by commercial fishers as bycatch.
Nathan Adams, a commercial fisherman for more than 25 years, told the Herald allowing marlin to be sold as bycatch would be harmful for the fish’s population.
He said commercial operations would take advantage of the rule and target the marlin population just as they targeted swordfish when those were allowed to be sold in 1991.
Utes and boats were donned with a wide range of flags, signs and slogans, many targeting Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones.
They included “Not My Matua” and “$hame Jones doesn’t care”.
Adams also criticised Jones, saying he was a “fox in charge of the hen house”.
Other slogans on boats were, “No fish, no vote, one ocean”, “Fisheries are for people, not profit” and “Feed New Zealanders before Exporting”.
Jones has invited recreational fishers to a meeting tomorrow in Paihia to discuss the Government’s plans and the protesters’ concerns.
By the time the last vehicles left Albany, the first were crossing the harbour bridge, as it took almost an hour for all participants to depart.
Traffic was congested on Tāmaki Drive at Ōkahu Bay as the police-led convoy headed to Mission Bay.
Delays were also caused on the Northern Motorway.
A police spokesperson said: “While there was some congestion and delay for members of the public, police had no reports of significant problems and were appreciative of motorists’ patience.”
Co-organiser Ben Chissell told the Herald the Government should “take note” of the action.
He said the turnout shows a desire for recreational anglers to be involved in decision-making related to fishing regulation.
“These are the people who vote for some of these people who make the decisions.
“Time to start listening because this was organised on very short notice, we can do much bigger.”