Carrying the voices forward 

Swim4TheOcean was never just about the swim 

What Jono Ridler achieved in the water was extraordinary. 

Over 90 days, he swam 1,367km down the east coast of the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand, pushing through fatigue, weather, isolation and immense physical challenge in pursuit of something much bigger than himself. 

But what’s equally powerful is what the journey unlocked. 

For too long, our moana has been overlooked and undervalued.  

Swim4TheOcean gave people a way to emotionally connect with ocean health.  

Conversations about ocean health moved into living rooms, schools, businesses, and communities. We heard iwi and community voices through Jono’s journey — emotional, passionate, and authentic.  

Together, supporters helped create a truly national conversation: 

• 35.4 million social media views  

• 7.2 million people reached through social media  

• More than 400 media stories and mentions  

• An estimated audience reach of 390 million through media  

• Nearly 37,000 digital messages for Jono during the swim  

The Live Ocean team also produced a 14-episode weekly YouTube series documenting the mission and the people behind it. 

Most importantly, a groundswell of support built behind a simple idea: New Zealand can do better for the ocean. 

That support culminated in 73,647 signatures on the Swim4TheOcean petition. And decision-makers at the highest level took notice – critically important in an election year. 

See the Petition Report we created here.  

Taking the message to Parliament 

On 29 April, the Swim4TheOcean petition was formally submitted and read in Parliament. 

Jono Ridler and Blair Tuke travelled to Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington carrying the voices of those 73,647 New Zealanders directly to decision makers. 

Throughout the day, meetings and conversations were held with political leaders and MPs from across the spectrum, including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, the Hon. Shane Jones, Minister for Oceans and Fisheries, the Hon. Tama Potaka, Minister for Conservation and representatives of the Labour Party, Greens and ACT.  

That evening, Blair and Jono spoke to a packed Banquet Hall inside Parliament at a reception hosted by Minister Tama Potaka and organised by Live Ocean. 

In his address, Blair reflected on both the opportunity and the responsibility New Zealand has as an ocean nation: 

“As a country we punch well above our weight. We pride ourselves on doing hard things, on leading the world when it matters. 

But for a country surrounded by the moana, when it comes to ocean stewardship, we are not leading. In fact, if it were sport, I’d say, we don’t even rank.  

Swim4TheOcean was created to help close that gap. To bring people around the ocean. To challenge the status quo when it comes to how we fish. 

Not because we are against commercial fishing – we are not. But because dragging heavy nets across the seafloor is destructive, and it’s outdated.” 

Our three-stage ask 

The political engagement following the swim has centred around a clear three-stage ask: 

1. Act immediately to stop the issuing of permits for New Zealand owned fishing boats to bottom trawl on seamounts in the South Pacific High Seas. New Zealand is the only country still doing this. Existing trawl licenses expired in April: we requested renewals or issue of new licenses be paused.

1. Fully protect seamounts in New Zealand waters by the end of 2027. No bottom contact fishing method on any seamount over 100m tall. The catch is relatively small, destruction high. 
2. And support the industry to innovate and rapidly transition away from bottom trawling entirely. 

What happens next 

The petition handover was an important milestone, but it is not the end of the campaign. The focus now is turning momentum into long-term action. 

Live Ocean and Jono Ridler will continue engaging with political leaders and officials, including preparing a formal written submission as part of the petition process through Parliament. 

Alongside this, Live Ocean will continue advocating for practical ocean solutions and stronger protections for ocean ecosystems. 

Achieving meaningful change will ultimately require legislative action. A critical next step will be pushing for ocean health to become part of political party manifestos ahead of the 2026 election and part of the coalition negotiations that follow. 

Speaking up on the Fisheries Amendment Bill 

Alongside the petition work, Live Ocean and Jono Ridler have also engaged in the public consultation process around the Government’s proposed Fisheries Amendment Bill. 

This process is separate from the Swim4TheOcean petition, but it provided another important opportunity to put forward concerns about bottom trawling and advocate for a more ecosystem-based approach to ocean management. 

On 18 May, Blair Tuke and Jono Ridler presented a joint submission to the Primary Production Select Committee. 

Together, they outlined why they believe aspects of the proposed Bill risk further entrenching bottom trawling and reducing environmental safeguards — and why they believe the Bill should be withdrawn in its current form. 

You can watch highlights from the Select Committee presentation here.  

Thank you 

None of this happens without people willing to care, speak up and stand behind change. 

To everyone who followed the journey, signed the petition, shared the story, sent messages to Jono, attended stopover events or helped amplify the kaupapa, thank you. 

The epic swim may be complete, but the push for a healthy ocean continues.