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UPDATES

7 May 2026 – Changes to the NES-CF

In 2025, the Government consulted on proposed changes to national direction instruments as part of its wider reform of the resource management system. This included proposed changes to the NES-CF to improve efficiency in forestry operations and make the regulations clearer. Changes made as a result of this consultation come into force on 4 June 2026.

Find out more about recent changes to the NES-CF

New requirements for forestry slash

Forestry slash from harvesting can sometimes be moved off the harvest site by small landslides. If the risk of this happening is high, the harvest must be managed under a resource consent. From 4 June 2026 a Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessment is required on higher risk land, to identify whether a resource consent is needed.

Find out more about the Slash Mobilisation Risk Assessment

About the Fish Spawning Indicator

Any forestry activities that would disturb perennial (permanent) river or lake beds, or wetlands, when fish are spawning are not permitted without resource consent. Spawning periods vary depending on the fish species and its location, so we developed the Fish Spawning Indicator to help councils and foresters manage and plan forestry operations.

The Fish Spawning Indicator shows where and when fish that are sensitive to disturbance are spawning. This will make it clear which forestry activities are permitted, and which ones will need consent (if permitted activity conditions are not met). The tool is available online.

Use the Fish Spawning Indicator tool

Note: The guidance on the use of this information and associated reports is written in relation to the NES-PF context only. The guidance documents should not be used in any other context without guidance from the agencies responsible for the species in question, including the Department of Conservation or the relevant Fish and Game Council.

The database is available

You can download the full Fish Spawning Indicator dataset in several formats (Shapefile, KML, Excel) along with the metadata on the MPI Open Data Portal. The current version of the FSI was released in November 2020. The database provides information for the North and South Islands only – not for New Zealand's offshore islands.

Download the Fish Spawning Indicator database

Freshwater fish spawning periods in NZ

Freshwater fish species and their spawning periods are grouped into 2 sensitivity classes in the NES-PF regulations. 

Group A  

Salmonids or species with a high conservation status of threatened or at risk.

Species Subgroup Spawning period
Redfin bully   1 August to 31 October
Koaro Sea run (North Island) 1 April to 30 June
  Sea run (South Island) 1 March to 30 May
  Landlocked 1 November to 30 January
Giant kokopu       Sea run (North Island) 15 April to 15 July
  Sea run (South Island) 1 June to 31 August
  Landlocked 1 May to 31 August
Shortjaw kokopu   1 May to 30 June
Banded kokopu   1 May to 30 June
Stokell’s smelt   1 December to 31 January
Brown trout   15 May to 15 September
Chinook salmon   1 April to 31 September
Rainbow trout   1 July to 30 November
Sockeye salmon   1 March to 30 June

Group B

Species with a higher sensitivity to disturbance.

Species Spawning period
Dwarf galaxias 1 September to 31 October
Canterbury galaxias 1 August to 31 October
Alpine galaxias 1 August to 31 October
Lowland longjaw galaxias 1 June to 30 September
Dusky galaxias 1 October to 30 November
Eldon’s galaxias 1 October to 30 November
Central Otago roundhead galaxias 1 August to 31 October
Bignose galaxias 1 July to 30 September
Taieri flathead galaxias 1 August to 31 October
Gollum galaxias 1 August to 30 September
Nevis galaxias 1 October to 15 November
Upland longjaw galaxias 1 October to 30 November
Southern flathead galaxias 1 August to 15 November
Northern flathead galaxias 1 August to 15 November
Teviot flathead galaxias 1 August to 15 November
Lower Clutha galaxias 1 August to 15 November
Pomahaka galaxias 1 August to 15 November
Dune Lakes galaxias 1 May to 30 August
Clutha flathead galaxias 1 August to 15 November
Canterbury mudfish 1 July to 30 October
Northland mudfish 1 April to 30 September
Brown mudfish 1 April to 30 September
Black mudfish 1 April to 30 September

Find out more

Other NES-PF tools

Who to contact

If you have questions about the NES-CF, contact Te Uru Rākau – New Zealand Forest Service:

MPI business units