Environmental and seafood lobbyists say proposed changes to the laws governing fisheries will remove protections for fish sustainability and affect fishing rights for more than 600,000 people.

The Fisheries Amendment Bill is due to go into its second reading by the Oceans Minister David Parker.

Legasea says the bill will weaken Ministerial discretion to make precautionary decisions and instead, changes would enable officials to undermine the sustainability of popular fish species such as blue cod, crayfish and snapper. 

Legasea spokesperson Sam Woolford told Māni Dunlop he hopes it's not too late for the Minister to make a better discretionary decision.