At a crucial moment for ocean protection, Greenpeace is urging the Government to ensure the Oceans and Fisheries portfolio is left in capable hands, to avoid any further delays in protecting the struggling marine environment.

Stuart Nash was dismissed from all his portfolios including Oceans and Fisheries late on Tuesday and Greenpeace campaigner Ellie Hooper says the Government must now ensure that this crucial environmental portfolio is given high priority.

"There have already been too many delays in getting the ocean properly protected here in Aotearoa," she says.

"As a result, we’ve got starving snapper in the Hauraki Gulf, we’ve got habitat destruction and loss, and a marine system in decline.

"But this year key decisions are being made that could really turn things around for the ocean. We must not stand by while these opportunities are squandered because of poor cabinet choices."

Stuart Nash was dismissed following an "inexcusable" breach of Cabinet rules, in which he shared cabinet discussions with businesses that donated to him.

Hooper says that the new Minister chosen for the Oceans and Fisheries portfolio must be someone who understands the need for ocean protection and can resist this kind of commercial influence.

"We know that commercial fishing voices ring loud in any discussion about increasing ocean protection and can turn conversations about further protection of our struggling blue backyard into one of how to protect their pockets.

"The cameras on boats programme was previously halted due to industry influence, and as a result we still do not have a cameras programme in place to keep an eye on commercial fishing’s impact on the ocean.

"When it came to the last round of protections from bottom trawling, known as the Benthic Protection Areas, the commercial fishing industry had so much influence they were essentially allowed to pick where they couldn’t, or didn’t want to fish - and those were the areas the government protected, not what was ecologically important.

"This system of allowing the commercial fishing industry to dictate ocean protection has not served the ocean well so far, and we can see the results written on the wall. If we want to protect the ocean - then we need a Minister with the integrity and courage to stand up to the industry, who puts protection first, not commercial fishing profits.

"The ocean, and New Zealanders, deserve someone who is going to act. People in this country have made it abundantly clear they want the ocean protected, so make sure the person this portfolio is left with will enact that."

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