"This is not about stopping legitimate democratic protest. There are a range of ways people can protest - at a company's front door, on the street, actually still out at sea."
He denied the offences were aimed at Greenpeace protesters, who have targeted ships in New Zealand waters. Mr Bridges said he supported people's right to protest: "I would never want to stop that, but what they can't do is dangerously, recklessly interfere with other people's rights to go about their business".
There was huge potential for New Zealand's underexplored petroleum and minerals. The Crown received millions of dollars a year from minerals royalties, which paid for services such as schools, hospitals, roads and broadband.
With a 50 per cent increase in royalties and tax, that would increase to $12.5 billion a year, he said.
Labour's energy and resources spokeswoman, Moana Mackey, said the move was a serious over-reaction "and yet another example of National kowtowing to foreign multi-national companies".
"Protesters take to the sea when they feel that they can't get action through any other means, whether it be anti-whaling, anti-nuclear, or opposing deep sea oil drilling."
