That was the message at yesterday's Seafood New Zealand conference, held in Queenstown.
For the third year in a row, Seafood NZ executive chairman Craig Ellison presented an industry scorecard based on the industry body's 2017 code of conduct.
This year the industry scored its first A rating - an A- for ensuring fisheries resources are sustainable.
Mr Ellison said that had been a strong focus for the industry, with 95% of all landed fish verified as sustainable.
Sustainability was a major theme of the conference, as was combating "misinformation and skewed perspectives from the eco-zealots".
Investment in science and innovation also jumped from a B to a B+.
But there was definitely room to improve, Mr Ellison said.
The only measure to drop a rating was the industry's work to look after its people.
That slipped from a C+ to a D, despite some promising safety and wellbeing initiatives.
"Ultimately, we must be judged by keeping our people safe, and unfortunately this year, we didn't."
He also said the industry needed to send a stronger message about not condoning illegal behaviour, although there was good news around transparency with a large number of vessels transitioning to electronic reporting.
When it came to minimising the industry's footprint on the marine environment, too many protected species were being caught.
While "huge work" was being done to improve that, zero interactions must be the industry's target, he said.
"We didn't fulfil the hopes we had for 2018.
"We had some losses in a difficult year, but the good intent remains very strong, and the underlying momentum is moving the right way," Mr Ellison said.
However, Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones did not mince his words when addressing attendees.
He warned of a "wave of regulation approaching all industries".
"Fisheries, as an industry, folks, are only one occupant of a waka of discontent."
Work was being done to determine how the Government's Provincial Growth Fund could be used to expedite the development of the seafood industry, he said.
