Finfish
Bag limits and size restrictions
In the South East Fishery Management Area there is a combined maximum daily bag limit of 30 finfish per person, consisting of any combination of the species listed below, as long as the individual species limits are not exceeded.
| Finfish species |
Maximum daily limit per person |
Minimum fish length (cm) |
| Blue cod - South East FMA |
30 |
30 |
| Blue cod - *Kaikoura - North Canterbury |
10 |
30 |
| Blue moki |
15 |
40 |
| Bluenose |
5 |
- |
| Butterfish/Greenbone |
15 |
35 |
| Elephant fish |
5 |
- |
| Flatfish (except Sand flounder) |
30 |
25 |
| Eel |
6 |
- |
| Skate/Ray |
5 |
- |
| Kahawai |
15 |
- |
| Grey Mullet |
30 |
- |
| Lamphrey |
30 |
- |
| Ling |
30 |
- |
| Marble Fish |
30 |
- |
| Red Gurnard |
30 |
25 |
| Red cod |
10 |
25 |
| Red moki |
15 |
40 |
| Rig |
5 |
- |
| Salmon |
2 |
- |
| Salmon (Otago Harbour) |
2 |
45 |
| Sand flounder |
30 |
23 |
| School shark |
5 |
- |
| Snapper |
10 |
25 |
| Tarakihi |
15 |
25 |
| Trevally |
30 |
25 |
| Trumpeter |
15 |
35 |
| Spiky dogfish |
15 |
- |
| Warehou |
15 |
- |
| Wrasse |
30 |
- |
| Seven gilled shark |
1 |
- |
| Mako shark |
1 |
- |
| Blue shark |
1 |
- |
| Bronze shark |
1 |
- |
| Hammerhead shark |
1 |
- |
| Porbeagle shark |
1 |
- |
| Thresher shark |
1 |
- |
Species daily limits
*Kaikoura -North Canterbury (those waters between Clarence Point and the Waimakariri River).
- Maximum daily limit of 10 blue cod per person fishing.
NB. Daily limits may differ in certain areas (see closed and restricted areas in this brochure.)
Additionally, there are individual limits, over and above the combined bag, for groper/hapuku/bass and kingfish. These species have a combined daily limit of 5 (with no more than 3 kingfish). There is no limit on species not named above.
Length measurement
Finfish length is measured from the tip of the nose to the end of the Middle Ray or "V" of the tail fin (as shown in diagram).
Protection of spotted black groper and white pointer shark
No person may take or possess spotted black groper or white pointer shark.