Finfish
Maximum daily limits
In the Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area there is a combined daily bag limit of 30 finfish, consisting of any combination of the species listed on the following panel, as long as the individual species limits are not exceeded.
| Finfish species |
Maximum daily limit per fisher |
Finfish species |
Maximum daily limit per fisher |
| Barracouta |
30 |
Porbeagle shark |
1 |
| Blue cod |
20 |
Quinnat salmon |
2 |
| Blue moki |
15 |
Red cod |
10 |
| Bluenose |
5 |
Red gurnard |
30 |
| Blue shark |
1 |
Red moki |
15 |
| Bronze shark |
1 |
Rig |
5 |
| Butterfish/Greenbone |
15 |
School shark |
5 |
| Eels |
6 |
Sea perch/Jock Stewart |
10 |
| Elephant fish |
5 |
Seven gilled shark |
1 |
| Flatfish |
30 |
Skate ray |
5 |
| Grey mullet |
30 |
Snapper |
30 |
| Groper/Hapuku/Bass |
5 |
Spiky dogfish |
15 |
| Hammerhead shark |
1 |
Stargazer |
30 |
| Kahawai |
15 |
Tarakihi |
15 |
| Lamprey |
30 |
Thresher shark |
1 |
| Ling |
30 |
Trevally |
30 |
| Mako shark |
1 |
Trumpeter |
15 |
| Marblefish |
30 |
Warehou |
15 |
| Marlin |
1 |
Wrasse |
30 |
Accumulation of finfish beyond the daily limit is prohibited. Therefore possession at any time of fish taken from within the Fiordland Marine Area in excess of the prescribed species limit and combined maximum daily bag limit is unlawful. Except for Kingfish (individual limit of 3) there is no limit on finfish species not listed above.
Internal waters of Fiordland - conservative limits apply
Within the internal waters of Fiordland the following conservative daily limits apply:
- Blue cod daily limit of 3 with no accumulation.
- Groper (Hapuku)/bass daily limit of 3 with no accumulation.
White Pointer shark prohibition
No person may take or possess any white pointer shark.
Minimum size restrictions
| Finfish species |
Minimum fish length |
| Blue cod |
33 cm |
| Blue moki |
40 cm |
| Butterfish/Greenbone |
35 cm |
| Flatfish (except sand flounder) |
25 cm |
| Kingfish |
75 cm |
| Red cod |
25 cm |
| Red gurnard |
25 cm |
| Red moki |
40 cm |
| Sand flounder |
23 cm |
| Snapper |
25 cm |
| Tarakihi |
25 cm |
| Trevally |
25 cm |
| Trumpeter |
35 cm |
Length measurement
Finfish length is measured from the tip of the nose to the rear end of the middle ray or "V" of the tail fin as shown here.
Method and gear restrictions - Line fishing
Within the entire Fiordland Marine Area the following restrictions apply to all line fishing including any longline, set line, dropline and dahn line.
- All surface floats attached to any line must be clearly and legibly marked with the fisher’s surname and initials
- No person may use or possess a line with more than 5 hooks
- No person may use or be in possession of more than one line (other than rod and reel lines or handlines)
- Where more than one person is using a line from a vessel (other than a rod and reel lines or handlines), no more than two lines (other than rod and reel lines or handlines) may be used or set from, or possessed on board that vessel.
Set nets prohibited
- No person may use, set or possess any set net within the Fiordland Marine Area.
Blue cod hook size
When fishing for blue cod, the Fiordland Marine Guardians recommend the voluntary use of size 6/0 or larger size wide gap or circle fish hooks to avoid damage and promote survival of undersize blue cod.
Blue cod pots prohibited
- No person may use or set any blue cod pot within the internal waters of Fiordland.