Legal Fish Sizes in New Zealand
Keep in mind that if you are a recreational fisherman, selling fish or shellfish you catch is illegal. The Department of Basic Industries (MPI) strives to maintain the sustainability of New Zealand`s fisheries and ensure that there are fish for today, tomorrow and many years to come. There are rules for collecting lobsters/crabs that cover: enjoy our catch, discover it, explore it, share it – and most importantly, respect it. Then there is enough fish for you and your children – as well as their children and grandchildren. Respect the legal size restrictions for your fishing area. Measure your catch carefully to ensure the sustainability of local fisheries. “I have asked my officials to review the daily limits for fish caught after it was reported that people had ingested hundreds of pink maomao in one day last year,” Parker said. Rules for recreational fishing in the core zone, including restricted areas, special restrictions and other important notices. Fish & Game New Zealand reproduces the regulations contained in the notice in the form of North and South Island booklets as free guides for fishermen. Anglers must ensure that they obtain a booklet when purchasing a fishing licence. The purpose of the Notice to Anglers is to set out the conditions under which a licence holder may fish for sport fish in each fishing and game region.
As soon as practicable after the approval of the notice for each season by the Minister of Nature Conservation, the New Zealand Council is required to publish the notice in the New Zealand Gazette. The country is divided into seven different fishing zones, called “FMA” – for “fisheries management areas”. For some species, the boundaries are different depending on the region you are in, while for some species, they are the same throughout the country. Sometimes they are the same across the country, with the exception of one or two FMAs. For example, the daily limit per person for tuangi (cockles) is 150 everywhere except in the Auckland/Kermadec region where it is 50. You do not need a license to fish in the sea around New Zealand. However, for freshwater fishing (in lakes and rivers) you need a permit. MPI has developed free services to make compliance easier – learn more about their website by visiting your local MPI office or downloading the free NZ Fishing Rules app. There are signs in popular fishing spots to remind you of the rules.
If you go fishing, you will sometimes see people in uniform called fishery officers, volunteer fishery officers or compliance officers. These people work for MPI and help you understand the rules and tell you how much fish or shellfish you are allowed. Some areas may be closed to fishing. These include: If you catch a fish that is too small, remember to release it carefully so that it survives to reach a larger size. Do not continue fishing in an area where most fish are small or try to use a larger hook. Only persons who were present when the fish or shellfish were caught or caught may include them in their daily catch limit. You must have a fishing license to fish for commercial purposes Let`s do it here. It`s done now, it`s a legal and quiet rock lobster. If you come ashore, it must be done immediately, as soon as you catch this rock lobster, you must do it. You can`t do it underwater, we accept that, but of course when you go back to the boat, remove your tank, the first thing you do is open your bag of catch, take out the rock lobster, examine it for size, condition, berries and crabs that you will keep, you reduce the telson by a third. You are not doing this for pack rock lobsters, you are only doing it for spiny red lobsters.
This helps us identify fish that should or should not be in the commercial industry. The punctures that are on the commercial side will all be complete; Crabs caught in their free time must have the telson cut. Fish and shellfish must be of a certain size before they can be caught. This is the size limit. We set limits that allow species to breed at least once before being removed from the sea. For example, the size limit of scallops may be different in 2 different fishing areas. If available, you can get our fish rules, pāau measurements, multipurpose measurements, pāua knives and brochures at your local fishing office. Shellfish (such as pāua, scallops and oysters from excavators) must also remain in their shells when not consumed. This allows fisheries officials to measure them if necessary. The Coast Guard is about responsible boaters, but we also want you to be responsible fishers.
We warn against collecting shellfish if tests show they contain dangerous levels of toxins. * Fish includes all types of fish of the classes Agnatha, Chondrichthyes and Osteichthyes, at any stage of their life cycle, whether alive or dead The “daily catch limit” is the number of fish, shellfish or rock lobsters (crabs) that a person can catch (or possess) each day. Yes, it`s a first version and could be improved, but it`s by far the most convenient way to access information while you`re facing some uncertainty. And yes, images of fish to choose from to lead to identification and details would be a huge improvement. If your fishing trip lasts more than one day and you can prove that you did not take more than the daily catch limit on a given day, you may have 2 daily blue cod catch limits. Penalties are imposed for infringements of fishing rules. These include: We have several ways to check the fishing rules in your area.
