With so much at stake with our inshore fisheries, it’s fortunate LegaSea will be at The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show in full force, ready to discuss sustainable and ethical fishing practices.

LegaSea is a non-profit organisation working to ensure a healthy and diverse marine ecosystem with more fish in the water for the benefit of current and future generations.

Their aims are to:

• Keep the public of New Zealand well informed about the state of our fisheries.

• Collaborate and promote solutions to improve management of our marine life, for the benefit of all New Zealanders.

Recently, LegaSea, Westhaven

Marina, the Outboard Boating Club of Auckland (OBC), and Papatūānuku Kōkiri Marae have teamed up to develop The Kai Ika Project.

The project utilises fish heads, frames, and offal which were previously going to waste.

Since September 2016, more than 385,000 kilograms of previously discarded fish parts have been collected from various sources and redistributed to appreciative families and community groups all over Auckland.

In Auckland, The Kai Ika Project provides professional filleting services through a custom-built trailer at Westhaven Z Pier and the Outboard Boating Club. They can also provide filleting for fishing events across the North Island.

Catching a fish can be easy, making sure you get the most out of every fish is the difficult part.

This year, Dallas Abel and the LegaSea team including Dave Ahoia will host a Shimano Masterclass seminar where you can learn the art of fish filleting.

Dave Ahoia has more than 30 years of experience and will teach you how to fillet, skin and bone, process the heads and frames, remove the wings, and most importantly avoid contamination.

Walk away with a greater understanding of how to achieve maximum recovery of every fish you process. This is not just about filleting; the team will also help you recognise different and delicious secondary cuts of fish.

This demonstration is for everyone. From seasoned fishing veterans to absolute beginners, it will cater to your experience levels and make sure you leave with the confidence to fillet your next fish like a pro!

The team will also speak about the Maximum Utilisation philosophy and how it relates to LegaSea’s mission to restore marine abundance and conserve fish populations for future generations.

The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show will be supporting LegaSea’s mission through:

• Can recycling stations around the Show – where you can, use a can, because LegaSea will get a financial benefit for every can recycled.

• Working with Kōparepare Wines where a portion of the sales will go to LegaSea, too.

Be sure to pop in to chat about responsible fishing and the issues recreational fishers are facing with LegaSea, as well as go in the draw to win some epic prizes.

Find LegaSea at stand #650 in the Shimano Fishing Pavilion, directly across from the Shimano Masterclass Series stage.