Shellfish
| Shellfish species |
Maximum daily limit per person |
Minimum size (mm) |
| Cockles |
150 |
none |
| Kina (sea eggs) |
50 |
none |
| Mussels |
50 |
none |
Oysters
- Dredge* +
- Rock & Pacific† |
50
250
|
58
none
|
Paua
- Ordinary*
- Yellow foot*
- Taranaki Paua Area |
10
10
10
|
125
80
85
|
| Pipi |
150 |
none |
| Scallops - Central* + |
20 |
100 |
| Toheroa # |
Prohibited |
Prohibited |
| Tuatua |
150 |
none |
| All Others • (combined) |
50 |
none |
* Dredge oyster, paua and scallop must be landed in the shell and cannot be shucked or shelled seaward of the mean high water mark. This does not include dredge oysters and scallops shucked onboard for consumption at sea within daily bag limits.
† Rock oysters and Pacific oysters must not be opened while they adhere to the object on which they grow.
# Toheroa must not be taken, possessed, or disturbed unless an open season is declared by the Director-General of the Ministry for Primary Industries.
+ Limited provision allows a diver on a vessel to gather extra bag limits of oysters and scallops for up to 2 other people acting in a dive safety capacity from that vessel.
• This is a combined, mixed-species bag limit. It applies to all shellfish species not specifically named above, and includes all crabs, limpets, starfish, periwinkles, whelks, barnacles and freshwater crayfish (koura).
Measuring shellfish
Paua: measure the greatest length of the shell in a straight line. Do not measure over the curve of the shell.
Scallop: measure the greatest diameter of the shell.
Dredge Oysters: must not pass through a rigid circular metal ring with an inside diameter of 58mm.
Paua Accumulation Limits
When daily limits are accumulated, the maximum number or amount of paua that one person can have in their possession at any one time is:
- 20 paua or
- shucked weight(shell removed) of 2.5kgs of paua
This possession limit applies everywhere, including in the home.
Underwater Breathing Apparatus (UBA)
(Does not include snorkels)
- No person may take paua using UBA.
- No person may be in possession of paua while in possession of UBA. This includes possession in or on any vessel or vehicle.
Amateur Taranaki Paua Fishery Area
- Recreational fishers may take or possesss any Paua that is 85mm or greater in length within the Amateur Taranaki Paua Fishery Area.
- Paua taken or possessed outside of the Amateur Taranaki Paua Fishery Area must be 125mm or greater in length.
Open season for scallops