Fishing Rules
There are lots of rules to protect our fish stocks. These rules make sure that there are enough fish breeding so that there will be fish for the future.
There are different rules for different types of fishing – rules for commercial fishers, rules for Māori customary fishers, and rules for recreational fishers.
Recreational fishing rules
Recreational fishers are not allowed to sell or trade what they catch. They can give it away, but anyone who they give it to can’t sell the fish either.
Other recreational fishing rules change a little depending on where you are in the country, but they include things like:
- the minimum size some species of fish have to be (if the fish you catch isn’t at least that size, you must let it go)
- the maximum number of fish you can take of a particular species
- the minimum size of the holes in nets (mesh sizes), if you are net fishing
- what kind of gear may be used (for example, whether you are allowed to use pots, or how many hooks you can have on a line).
Here are some of the rules for New Zealand’s Southern Management Area:
Fish species |
Minimum fish length (centimetres) |
Minimum set net mesh size (millimetres) |
Maximum daily limit per person |
Blue moki |
40 |
114 |
15 |
Red cod |
25 |
100 |
30 |
Tarakihi |
25 |
100 |
15 |
Shellfish species |
Maximum daily limit per person |
Minimum size (millimetres) |
Paua (blackfoot) |
10 |
125 |
Pipi |
150 |
None |
Kina |
50 |
None |
You aren’t allowed to keep fish that are too small because small fish are usually young, and fish need to be allowed to grow old enough to start breeding to keep the population healthy.
Illegal Fishing
Sometimes people break the rules.
Some people simply don’t know the rules for the area they are fishing in, but that’s no excuse.
You must always check what the rules are for the area you want to fish in and make sure you obey them.
There are also people who know the rules and choose to break them. These people are called poachers.
Some fishers might take just a few more fish than they are allowed or a few fish that are smaller than the minimum size. But, if 12,000 people went fishing on the same day, and each of those people took just one more fish than they were allowed, then that’s 12,000 fewer fish in the sea than there should be!
Other fishers may take hundreds or even thousands of fish that they shouldn’t be taking. They then sell these fish on the black market. These people are serious criminals. They are stealing fish from the people of New Zealand.
People who steal fish threaten the fisheries. If too many fish are taken, there won’t be enough fish breeding to keep the stocks at a healthy level.
Punishment
There are different punishments for people who break the rules depending on how serious the offence is.
People who do not know the rules or who have taken only one or two more fish than they are allowed might receive a warning or a fine.
People who knowingly take a lot more fish than they are allowed will have to go to court and might be given large fines, have their boats or cars confiscated, and in some cases, even go to jail.
Media releases from MFish about poaching:
Paua
> East Coast checkpoints net poachers
> Black market paua convictions
> Paua and scuba equipment don’t mix
Lobster
> Fishery officers swoop on alleged black market operation
> Rock lobster seized in Gisborne