The campaign now shifts from endurance feat to political moment, aiming to turn widespread support into meaningful change.
Taking the Swim4TheOcean petition to Parliament
By Live Ocean
28 April '26
Read time: 3 min
Article Summary
Main Points
After 90 days in the ocean, the Swim4TheOcean petition has closed with 73,647 unique signatures and is now being formally presented to Parliament.
Jono and Live Ocean will meet with decision-makers to push for action to end bottom trawling, backed by a strong public mandate.
After 90 days in the ocean and a nationwide wave of support, the Swim4TheOcean petition is now being formally taken to Parliament.
At midday on 28 April, the public-facing petition closed with 73,647 unique signatures – each one a call to end bottom trawling, starting with seamounts. Following a full audit of the data to ensure every supporter is counted once, we’re proud to carry these voices to decision-makers in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington.
On 29 April, the petition will be formally presented and read in Parliament.
The same day, Jono Ridler and Live Ocean Co-Founder Blair Tuke will meet with politicians from across the House to ask key political decision makers how they intend to respond to the petition’s call to end bottom trawling, backed by tens of thousands of people.
Jono Ridler’s Swim4TheOcean has always been about more than one unprecedented swim. It’s about showing what New Zealanders care about – and making sure that can’t be ignored.
Petition of Live Ocean: End bottom trawling on all seamounts
Request
That the House of Representatives legislate to prohibit bottom trawling on seamounts and deep-sea features over 100m tall in NZ waters; end permits for NZ vessels to bottom trawl in international waters by 2027; and require a time-bound transition away from bottom trawling; noting 73,647 signatures to an online petition.
Reason
Bottom trawling drags heavy nets across the seafloor, destroying habitats, biodiversity, and releasing stored carbon. Seamounts are highly vulnerable and slow to recover. New Zealand continues to permit this and is the only nation bottom trawling seamounts in the South Pacific high seas. In 2025, IUCN members called for urgent action, including phasing out bottom trawling on seamounts. Ending this practice now is a practical step to safeguard ocean health for the future.
