Recreational fishing rules for the Central area (lower and central North Island), including closed areas, special restrictions, and other important notices.
This area extends from Cape Runaway east of Ōpōtiki, around the southern end of the North Island, to Tirua Point north of Taranaki. A more detailed map is on the NZ Fishing Rules app.
We recommend using the app to check size limits, catch limits, closed areas, and other restrictions wherever you're fishing.
The app is free and available for both Apple and Android devices.
You can also keep scrolling on this page to see the rules.
In the Central fishing area, there is a combined daily bag limit of 20 finfish* per fisher (excluding specified baitfish and freshwater eels).
This means you can have a combination of up to 20 of any finfish in total. For example, you could have 19 kahawai and 1 red cod, or 10 kahawai and 10 red cod. As long as you have no more than 20 in total.
There are also species with individual daily limits within the combined daily bag limit of 20 (Table 1). You must not exceed individual species limits. For example, there is a daily limit of 5 bluenose. This means you could have 5 bluenose and 15 kahawai.
In addition to the combined daily bag limit of 20, you can take a maximum of 50 of any combination of baitfish species (Table 3) and a maximum of 6 freshwater eels (Table 4). For example, you could take 10 kahawai, 10 red cod and 50 baitfish.
Remember, there may be other specific rules in some areas. For example, a harbour might have different size limits for certain species. Check the "Closed areas and special restrictions" section on this web page for more information.
* Finfish includes all species of finfish of the classes Agnatha, Chondrichthyes, and Osteichthyes, at any stage of their life history, whether living or dead
|
Finfish species |
Maximum daily limit per active fisher |
Min fish length (cm) |
Min net mesh size (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Blue cod – Taranaki to Titahi Bay (Fisheries Management Area 8 - refer to map [PDF, 223 KB] ) *** |
2 |
33 Landed whole or gutted only |
—
|
|
Blue cod – Titahi Bay to Cape Runaway (Fisheries Management Area 2 - refer to map [PDF, 223 KB] ) *** |
20 |
33 Landed whole or gutted only |
—
|
|
Bluenose |
5 |
— |
160 |
|
Groper (Hapuku) / Bass** |
2 |
— |
160 |
|
Kingfish |
3 |
75 |
100 |
|
Quinnat salmon |
1 |
— |
— |
|
Snapper |
10 |
27 |
100 |
|
Southern bluefin tuna |
1 |
— |
100 |
| ** Groper (Hapuku) /Bass has an accumulation limit of no more than 3 per fisher when taken over more than one day in the Central area. | |||
| *** Titahi Bay boundary is roughly 100m north-east of Terrace Road lookout carpark. | |||
|
Finfish species |
Min fish length (cm) |
Min set net mesh size (mm) |
|---|---|---|
|
Blue moki |
40 |
114 |
|
Butterfish (Greenbone) |
35 |
108 |
|
Elephant fish |
— |
150 |
|
Flatfish (except Sand flounder) |
25 |
100 |
|
Red cod |
25 |
100 |
|
Red gurnard |
25 |
100 |
|
Red moki |
40 |
115 |
|
Rig |
— |
150 |
|
Sand flounder |
23 |
100 |
|
School shark |
— |
150 |
|
Tarakihi |
25 |
100 |
|
Trevally |
25 |
100 |
|
Trumpeter |
35 |
100 |
|
All other finfish |
— |
100 |
| Baitfish species | Maximum daily limit per active fisher |
|---|---|
|
Anchovy |
Daily limit of 50 for any combination of these species |
|
Jack/Horse/Chilean mackerel |
|
|
Koheru/Scad |
|
|
Pilchard |
|
|
Piper/Garfish |
|
|
Slender/Stout sprat |
|
|
Yellow-eyed mullet |
| Finfish species | Maximum daily limit per active fisher | Min mesh size (mm) |
|---|---|---|
|
Eel |
6 |
12 |
Shellfish are considered "taken" (collected or harvested) when they cannot freely return to the water. For example, when you put them in a bag. When you're gathering or collecting, you can never possess more than your daily limit.
Remember, there may be other specific rules in some areas. For example, a harbour might have different size limits for certain species. Check the 'Closed areas and restrictions' section on this page for more information.
|
Shellfish Species |
Max daily limit per fisher |
Min size (mm) |
|---|---|---|
|
Cockles |
150 |
none |
|
Kina (sea eggs) |
50 |
none |
|
Mussels |
50 |
none |
|
Oysters |
|
|
|
Pāua |
|
|
|
Pipi |
150 |
none |
|
Scallops+ |
20 |
100 |
|
Toheroa# |
Prohibited |
Prohibited |
|
Tuatua |
150 |
none |
|
All others (combined) • |
50 |
none |
**Minimum size of ordinary pāua is 85mm within the Taranaki pāua fishery area.
* Dredge oyster, pāua, and scallops must be landed in the shell. They cannot be shucked or shelled seaward of the mean high watermark. However, you can shuck dredge oysters and scallops that you are going to eat while you're still at sea. These still count towards your daily catch/bag limit.
† Rock and Pacific oysters must not be opened while they're still attached to the object they're growing on (like if they're still stuck to a rock).
# Toheroa must not be taken, processed, or disturbed. This is always the case unless we declare an open season.
View the difference between toheroa and tuatua [PDF, 462 KB]
+ Limited provision allows a diver on a vessel to gather extra bag limits of oysters and scallops for up to 2 other people acting in a dive safety capacity from that vessel. The safety people must be on-board the vessel, and acting in that capacity, when the diving is done. If only 1 safety person is on-board the vessel, only 1 extra bag limit may be taken. A maximum of 2 extra bag limits may be taken per vessel, regardless of the number of people diving.
• This is a combined, mixed-species bag limit. It applies to all shellfish species not specifically named above, and includes all crabs, limpets, starfish, periwinkles, whelks, barnacles and freshwater crayfish (koura).
This section has the rules for both:
Remember, there may be other specific rules in some areas. Check the "Closed areas and special restrictions" section on this page for more information.
Spiny/red rock lobster daily limit = 3
Packhorse rock lobster daily limit = 3
Spiny/red and packhorse rock lobster combined = 6 (maximum of 3 packhorse rock lobster)
| Lobster species | Tail width measurement |
| Red or spiny rock lobster (crayfish) |
Male – 54 mm Female – 60 mm |
| Packhorse rock lobster |
Male – 84 mm Female – 90 mm |
If you are unsure of the sex, use the female (larger) measurement.
Learn how to measure rock lobster and identify the sex:
Rock lobster (crayfish): rules and guidelines
There are rules for gathering rock lobster/crayfish that cover:
Some types of rock lobster are protected. You must return them to the water straight away. Protected rock lobsters are:
Find out about rock lobster pot construction and use
In eastern Bay of Plenty (from Cape Runaway to East Cape Lighthouse), telson clipping is required for all spiny rock lobsters that you take.
The last third of the telson (central part of the tail fan) must be cut off so that it is noticeably shorter than the other sections of the tail fan.
Labelled diagram of a telson-clipped lobster [PDF, 551 KB]
Do not telson clip any packhorse rock lobsters.
For more details check the:
Transcript - show/hide
Gary: Hi team, my name is Gary McAneny, I'm a senior compliance officer based in Mount Maunganui. You should be able to see it over my shoulder. You've probably guessed what we're all about here judging by this little character here. This is all about telson clipping for rock lobster. Come the first of July 2020 we're now obliged in cray 2 and cray 5, Hauraki Gulf, Bay of Plenty, Marlborough and Canterbury to clip the tails on recreationally caught rock lobsters so I'm going to talk about that today. The reason that we're doing that is to make the recreationally caught rock lobsters different from the commercial rock lobsters and that's going to deter poaching. It's probably a part of our toolbox of measures that help us to go some way to limit the amount of poaching that goes on and it's hopefully the general public can assist us by doing this small thing. And essentially it is clipping one third of the length of the telson which is the centre fin on a rock lobster tail as you can see here. We've got them all spread out there i'm going to go about doing it for you now. It's a simple matter, you take your dive knife, pair of scissors, either way you've got to take that last third of the telson off no more and no less.
[Image showing clipped rock lobster, with one-third of middle part of tail cut.]
Let's get that done right there. That's done now, that's a legal recreationally caught rock lobster. When you come ashore, now that has to be done immediately as soon as you take this rock lobster you need to do this. You can't do it under the water, we're accepting that, but obviously when you get back to the boat you take your tank off, the first thing you do is open your catch bag, pull the rock lobster out, inspect it for size, condition, berry, and the crays that you're going to keep, you cut the telson back by one third. You don't do that for pack horse rock lobster, you only do that for spiny red rock lobster. That helps us to recognise the fish that should or shouldn't be in the commercial industry. The crays that are in the commercial side will all be complete; the crayfish that are recreationally taken will need to have the telson clipped.
[End of transcript]
The ban ends on 22 December 2026. The Minister of Oceans and Fisheries decided to extend the previous ban on collecting blackfoot pāua from the coastline to the north and south of Waimārama, including the area around Te Motu o Kura / Bare Island.
This ban supports the rāhui, put in place by Ngāi Hapū o Waimārama.
Refer to restricted areas below.
The lists below show areas where:
There's more information in the rules brochure and NZ Fishing Rules app.
You can't fish in these areas. This includes Marine Reserves.
Marine reserves are managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC).
A to Z of marine reserves – DOC
In the following areas, there are specific rules or restrictions. These might be for size limits, catch/bag limits, or fishing methods (like no set netting). Check the location and the rule.
|
Location |
Rule |
|---|---|
|
Only hand-held lines to be used |
|
|
Taranaki |
No set netting; different size limit for pāua |
|
Cape Runaway |
No set netting |
|
Pāuatahanui Inlet |
No set netting |
|
Wairoa Hard |
No netting of any kind |
|
No netting or longlines/Kontiki |
|
|
No taking of blackfoot pāua |
|
| Tangoiro/Waihirere [PDF, 504 KB] | No taking of shellfish or finfish |
| Motuoroi [PDF, 622 KB] | No taking of shellfish or finfish |
| Te Ohooho O Parapara Rāhui [PDF, 399 KB] | No taking of fish, aquatic life or seaweed |
| Ōhiwa Harbour [PDF, 958 KB] | No taking of mussels |
Closed to all fishing and seafood gathering other than by handheld lines.
GPS co-ordinates
A: 41°01.84'S, 174°52.26'E
B: 41°01.68'S, 174°52.26'E
C: 41°00.94'S, 174°54.96'E
Google Maps co-ordinates
A: 41.0306S,174.871E
B: 41.028S,174.871E
C: 41.0157S,174.916E
Net restrictions extend around Taranaki from Pariokariwa Point south to Hawera, then from Pariokariwa Point south to the Waiwhakaiho River between 2 and 7 nautical miles offshore. The closure out to 7 nautical miles extends north to Maunganui Bluff. Restrictions also extend for 4 nautical miles offshore from Hawera south to the Wellington Harbour entrance.
r200216 Rec SN Closure Comms Maps Central Update 23092020
Find out about the new restrictions
These are areas where tangata whenua manage non-commercial fishing through bylaws. Information is in the NZ Gazette.
Toka Tāmure – Mahia Peninsula:
Horokaka – Mahia Peninsula:
Te Hoe – Mahia Peninsula:
These are areas that are temporarily closed to fishing or certain fishing methods.
Tangoiro/Waihirere
Motuoroi
Western Taranaki:
Te Ohooho O Parapara Rāhui:
Ōhiwa Harbour:
|
Blue cod... |
Rule |
|
Pot construction |
Rigid square mesh, where:
|
|
Accumulation limit |
When your fishing trip is more than one day, if you can prove you have not taken more than the daily bag limit on any given day you can possess 2 daily bag limits of blue cod. |
|
Measurable state |
All blue cod must be landed whole or gutted. |
|
Eating blue cod on the boat |
|
We issue warnings not to collect shellfish when testing shows that they contain unsafe levels of toxins.
You can report poaching, suspicious, or illegal activity online.
Report illegal fishing (such as poaching)
You can also:
You can help us by providing:
When reporting any suspected poaching, put your personal safety first. All calls and personal details are treated as confidential.
These are offences against the Fisheries Act 1996, which can result in fines up to $250,000.
Our regional Facebook pages bring you information about the fishing rules and how we manage and protect local fisheries:
Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 – NZ Legislation
If you have questions about Central area fishing rules, email info@mpi.govt.nz
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