Finfish
Bag Limits and Size Restrictions
The minimum sizes and net mesh size for particular species in the Challenger Fishery Management Area are outlined in the following table. In the Challenger Fishery Management Area there is a Combined Maximum Daily Bag Limit of 20 of the following finfish (with no more than 5 bluenose):
| Finfish species |
Minimum fish length (cm) |
Minimum mesh for nets (mm) |
| Blue moki |
40 |
114 |
| Bluenose |
- |
160 |
| Butterfish/Greenbone |
35 |
100 |
| Elephant fish |
- |
150 |
| Flatfish |
25 |
100 |
| Grey mullet |
- |
100 |
| John Dory |
- |
100 |
| Kahawai |
- |
100 |
| Red cod |
25 |
100 |
| Red gurnard |
25 |
100 |
| Red moki |
40 |
114 |
| Rig |
- |
150 |
| School Shark |
- |
150 |
| Tarakihi |
25 |
100 |
| Trevally |
25 |
100 |
Blue Cod Challenger - within your bag limit of 20 finfish, the following area limits apply:
| Finfish species |
Daily sub-limit per fisher |
Minimum fish length (cm) |
Minimum mesh for nets (mm) |
| Blue Cod - Marlborough Sounds Area (closed from 1 September - 19th December inclusive) |
2 |
30min-35max
(landed whole only) |
100
however set netting prohibitions
apply in this area |
| Blue Cod - Challenger East |
3 |
30
(landed whole only) |
100 |
| Blue cod - Challenger West (south of Farewell Spit) |
20 |
33 |
Set netting prohibition |
In addition to the Combined Daily Bag limit you can take a maximum of:
| Finfish species |
Daily limit per fisher |
Minimum fish length (cm) |
Minimum mesh for nets (mm) |
| Eels |
6 |
- |
12 |
| Snapper |
10 |
25 |
100 |
| Snapper - Marlborough Sounds* |
3 |
25 |
100
However set netting prohibitions apply in this area. |
* Within the bag limit of 10 snapper is a sub-limit of 3 which can be taken from the Marlborough Sounds Area.
In addition to the previously mentioned limits you may also take a combined daily limit of 5 (with no more than 3 Kingfish) of the following finfish:
| Finfish species |
Minimum fish length (cm) |
Minimum mesh for nets (mm) |
| Groper / Hapuka / Bass |
- |
160 |
| Kingfish |
75 |
100 |
No daily limit applies to the following finfish:
| Finfish species |
Minimum fish length (cm) |
Minimum mesh for nets (mm) |
| Garfish (piper), Pilchard, Herrings (Yellow-eyed Mullet) |
- |
25 |
| Sea Perch |
- |
100 |
| Trumpeter |
35 |
100 |
| All others not otherwise stated |
- |
100 |
Length measurement
Finfish length is measured from the tip of the nose to the Middle Ray or “V” in the tail (as shown in diagram).
