Set Netting

Set netting fishing is prohibited on the South Island east coast of New Zealand

A person must not use a set net for fishing in the water lying within 4 Nautical Miles from mean high water mark to the sea along The East Coast of the South Island.

Local Exemptions from this prohibition

Set netting for flounder permitted between 1st April and 30th September in designated flounder areas around The Banks Peninsula. These areas include the upper reaches of: Akaroa Harbour, Port Levy, Pigeon Bay, and Lyttelton Harbour. Set netting is still permitted in estuaries, rivers, lagoons, and inlets except for the Avon Heathcote Estuary. Please contact Ministry for Primary Industries.

Flatfish set net means a net that:

• is equal to or less than 9 meshes deep
• has a monofilament diameter equal to or less than .35mm
• has a mesh size equal to or greater than 100mm
• is anchored at each end
• does not exceed a total length of 60m

Netting in North Canterbury

Restrictions apply for set netting in the Kaiapoi and Waimakariri rivers from 1st February to the 30th April. Please contact Ministry for Primary Industries for detailed information of these restrictions (03) 339 3662.

Use of nets in Lake Ellesmere

No person shall use any net for the taking of finfish in the waters of Lake Ellesmere lying within an arc of a circle having a radius of 1.2km around the centre of the mouth of:

• The Irwell River
• Harts creek
• The Selwyn River
• No2 Drain
• The Halswell River

The points where that circular arc meets the shore of the lake being indicated in each case by posts painted with alternate black and yellow bands.

Catlins Lake No person shall use a set net in the Catlins Lake and tributaries running into the Catlins Lake that lie up stream of the main road bridge commencing at a point (at 46º 28.50’S and 169º 45.60’E); then in a southerly direction to 46º 28.50’S and 169º 45.60’E.

Drag netting is prohibited in Catlins River. No person shall use a drag net in the waters of the Catlins Lake as described above.

East Otago Taiapure: Set netting is permitted only in the estuarine waters of the East OtagoTaiapure. Persons setting a net within this area must, at all times, remain in the immediate vicinity of the set net. For more details please contact Ministry for Primary Industries (03) 466 3607.

Otago Harbour: Restrictions to set netting apply to parts of the Otago Harbour please contact the Ministry for Primary Industries (03) 466 3607.