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Kingfish image

About kingfish

Māori names: kahu, haku

Scientific name: Seriola lalandi lalandi

Kingfish are green on top with a white underside and a green-gold band along their side.

Kingfish are:

  • most common in the northern half of the North Island but are found from the Kermadec Islands to Foveaux Strait
  • found in open coastal waters, preferring high currents or tidal flows near rocky outcrops, reefs, and pinnacles
  • sometimes found in areas with an open sandy bottom and in shallow, enclosed bays.

Kingfish are large predator fish. Adults grow to over 1.5 metres in length. They usually live in schools ranging from a few fish to well over a hundred. Recreationally caught kingfish average 10 kg, but can be more than 30 kg.

Fishing rules for kingfish

Fishing rules for kingfish (and other fish species) are different around the country and can change. Check the rules for your area every time before you go fishing.

Find the fishing rules for your area

Kingfish status and how we manage their numbers

Kingfish are managed under New Zealand's Quota Management System (QMS), with 7 quota management areas. Under the QMS, annual catch limits and allowances are set differently for each area depending on population size, the health of the stock, and to ensure fishing pressure is at sustainable levels.

Find out about the QMS

To find information about catch allowances and stock status for various areas, see the kingfish section in Volume 2 of the Fisheries Assessment Plenary. This publication summarises all available information on fisheries and the status of each fish stock. 

See the latest Fisheries Assessment Plenary

Kingfish fishery area image

Report poaching

You can report poaching, suspicious, or illegal activity online:

Report illegal fishing (such as poaching)

You can also:

You can help us by providing:

  • the location
  • vehicle/trailer registration number
  • boat name
  • description of the person

When reporting any suspected poaching, put your personal safety first. All calls and personal details are treated as confidential.

Who to contact

If you have questions about kingfish, email info@mpi.govt.nz

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