ACT proposes nationwide shellfish bag limits and higher fishing fines in 2026 policy push

The ACT party has released a fisheries reform plan that would set a nationwide daily limit of 10 shellfish per person, make scallop dredging bans permanent in already-closed areas, and raise fines for fisheries offences. The package is part of the party's policy platform heading into the 2026 election.

The 10-shellfish daily limit would cover all species that do not already have their own individual limit, according to RNZ. ACT said the policy is aimed at rebuilding fish stocks and protecting vulnerable marine environments.

ACT's plan would create a "distinct fisheries management area" matching the boundaries of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, with the goal of rebuilding depleted stocks. The party said the proposal would preserve existing quota holders' proportional property rights within the new management framework.

A key part of the package is a change to how Fisheries New Zealand would operate. The agency would be required to measure the economic and environmental cost of high-impact fishing methods and adjust existing fisheries levies so they reflect the damage caused. Levies are the fees commercial fishers pay the Crown to cover management and research costs. Under ACT's plan, those fees would also factor in environmental impact, which could make lower-impact fishing methods cheaper than dredging or bottom trawling.

ACT also wants to move away from using "maximum sustainable yield" as the target stock level. Maximum sustainable yield, or MSY, is the largest catch that can be taken from a stock indefinitely without reducing its population. It has been the backbone of New Zealand's Quota Management System for decades. Instead, ACT wants management to aim for higher fish stocks and what it calls "greater abundance."

The proposed increases to infringement fees for people who break fishing rules are intended to provide what ACT calls a "genuine deterrent." The party did not specify how much fees would increase.

ACT conservation spokesperson Cameron Luxton said a healthy marine environment was the foundation of a successful fishing industry.

The broader context here is that the Hauraki Gulf has been a flashpoint for years. Iwi, recreational fishers, and environmental groups have pushed for stronger protections against bottom-impacting fishing methods, while commercial quota holders have defended their existing access rights. ACT's proposal to create a management area matching the Marine Park boundaries while explicitly preserving proportional quota rights is an attempt to address both sides of that debate.

Moving beyond MSY will draw attention from fisheries scientists and quota holders alike. Raising the target to higher stock levels would affect total allowable commercial catch settings, which determine how much fish the commercial sector can take each year. The policy signals intent rather than providing the modelling to support it, and the specifics of how "greater abundance" would be defined and measured are not in this announcement.

The policy is also notable for its political positioning. ACT has historically championed property rights and lighter regulation. A fisheries package that increases penalties, restricts harvest, and introduces what amounts to an environmental levy on certain fishing methods sits in some tension with that brand. Luxton's framing, that environmental health underpins commercial success, is the bridge the party is building to justify the approach.

The announcement is a policy proposal from a coalition partner in the current government, released ahead of the 2026 election. Whether any of these measures survive coalition negotiations or become legislation will depend on the post-election arithmetic and the positions taken by National and New Zealand First, both of which have their own constituencies within the commercial and recreational fishing sectors.