The recreational daily limit for kina (defined as Evechinus chloroticus and Centrostephanus rodgersii) has increased from 50 kina per fisher to 150 kina per fisher in Fisheries Management Area 1 (FMA 1). FMA 1 covers the inshore waters and harbours along the north-eastern coast of the North Island from North Cape to Cape Runaway. It includes the eastern coast of Northland, the Hauraki Gulf, the Coromandel, and the Bay of Plenty.
The 2 defined areas, one around Hauturu/Little Barrier Island and one near the Colville Channel, in the SCA CS fishery are now closed under sustainability measures. All of SCA CS is now closed to scallop fishing.
Shellfish are considered "taken" (collected or harvested) when they can't 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 |
Daily limit per fisher |
Auckland Coromandel area daily limit per fisher |
Min size (mm) |
|
Cockle |
150 |
50 |
– |
|
Kina (sea eggs) |
50 |
150 |
– |
|
Green-lipped mussels |
50 |
25 |
– |
|
Oysters |
|
|
|
|
Pāua |
|
|
|
|
Pipi |
150 |
50 |
– |
|
Scallops+* |
20 |
20 |
100 |
|
Toheroa# |
Prohibited |
Prohibited |
– |
|
Tuatua |
150 |
50 |
– |
|
All others (combined) • |
50 |
50 |
– |
* Dredge oyster, pāua, and scallops must be landed in the shell. They can't be shucked or shelled seaward of the mean high water mark. 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).
+ 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 onboard the vessel, and acting in that capacity, when the diving is done. If only 1 safety person is onboard 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.
# 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, 302 KB]
• This is a combined, mixed-species bag limit. It applies to all shellfish species [that are not listed in the table. This includes all crabs, limpets, starfish, periwinkles, whelks, barnacles, freshwater crayfish (koura), cats eyes (snails), and sea cucumbers.
From 1 April, recreational and commercial fishers cannot take spiny rock lobster in the Cape Rodney to Port Jackson area (see map below).
No person may take or possess spiny rock lobster from the Cape Rodney to Port Jackson area. If convicted, a penalty of up to $100,000 and forfeiture of any equipment used in the offending applies.
This closure applies to spiny/red rock lobster only. This closure does not affect authorised customary fishing.
The map is available in a larger dimension (2953 x 3937) [PNG, 641KB] [PNG, 641 KB]
From 15 April, the catch limit for recreationally caught spiny red rock lobster in the Northland region is now 3 per fisher, per day.
The limits for packhorse lobster and the combined daily bag limit for spiny red rock lobster and packhorse lobster will remain at 6 per fisher, per day.
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.
Maximum of 6 rock lobster (both species combined) per day.
From the Kaipara Harbour on the west coast of the North Island, around North Cape and then south east to Cape Runaway, the catch limit for spiny rock lobster is different. Within the combined limit of 6 rock lobster, you can take a maximum of 3 spiny rock lobster and the remainder can be packhorse lobster. If you do not take any spiny rock lobster, then you can take a total of 6 packhorse 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:
Rock lobsters: information on pot construction and use
From Te Arai Point (Auckland) to Cape Runaway, telson clipping is required for all spiny rock lobsters that you take. This involves cutting off the central part of the tail fan (the telson). This must be done to all legal spiny rock lobsters as soon as you take them.
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 Cape Rodney to Port Jackson area within the Hauraki Gulf/ Bay of Plenty spiny rock lobster fishery (CRA 2) is now closed under sustainability measures. Within this area you cannot take spiny rock lobster.
This closure applies to both commercial and recreational fishers.
No person may take or possess spiny rock lobster from the area marked red on the map.
If convicted, a penalty of up to $100,000 and forfeiture of any equipment used in the offending applies.
This closure applies to spiny/red rock lobster only. This closure does not affect authorised customary fishing.
The map is available in a larger dimension (2953 x 3937) [PNG, 641KB] [PNG, 641 KB]
The 2 defined areas, one around Hauturu/Little Barrier Island and one near the Colville Channel, in the SCA CS fishery are now closed under sustainability measures. All of SCA CS is now closed to scallop fishing.
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.
Marine reserves are managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC).
A to Z list of marine reserves – DOC
An updated Controlled Area Notice is in place over parts of Aotea Great Barrier Island with changed restrictions on anchoring and fishing.
The new controlled area extends from Cape Barrier in the south, up the entire western coastline to the southern edge of Port Abercrombie and out to 40 metres deep and including up to the high-tide mark (refer to the map below).
Throughout this area, there are restrictions on some fishing activities that make contact with the seafloor (and could therefore spread exotic caulerpa) – for example using flounder nets, dredging, or bottom trawling.
Anchoring without a specific permit from Biosecurity New Zealand is also prohibited in the entire area, with the exception of Port Fitzroy (in yellow on map). A special permit-free area is in place there and anchoring is allowed. However, fishing restrictions do apply in Port Fitzroy.
Within the whole controlled area (including Port Fitzroy), you can:
Within this area, you cannot:
To apply for an anchoring exemption permit (for all areas of the CAN apart from Port Fitzroy), complete the application form and email it to Caulerpa@mpi.govt.nz
An updated Controlled Area Notice is in place over parts of Ahuahu Great Mercury Island with changed restrictions on anchoring and fishing.
The controlled area at Great Mercury Island remains unchanged from the former CAN. It takes in the western bays area of the island between Maunganui Point and Ahikopua Point, including Huruhi Harbour, and including the high-tide mark.
Within this area:
If it cannot be stored and disposed of securely it must be placed back into the waters it came from (not moved to other areas of the sea).
These areas are closed to set netting:
Set netting is prohibited [not allowed/restricted/banned] at the entrance of the Manukau Harbour. The ban is from Taumatarea Point (in the north) to Matakawau Point (in the south).
Find out about the new restrictions
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.
Taiapure are areas of special significance to an iwi or hapu where other rules or restrictions are in place. Find out more on the New Zealand Legislation website.
Fisheries (Maketu Taiapure) Order 1996
These are areas where tangata whenua manage non-commercial fishing through bylaws. Information is in the NZ Gazette.
Mt Maunganui and part of Tauranga Harbour – Bay of Plenty:
Te Puna Mātaitai – Bay of Islands:
These are areas that are temporarily closed to fishing or certain fishing methods.
Tutukaka Harbour, Ngunguru Bay, Ngunguru River, Horahora River and surrounding areas (Rehuotane Ki Tai) – Northland:
Ōhiwa Harbour (Te rāhui kuku ki tua o Kanawa) – Bay of Plenty:
Marsden Bank and Mair Bank – Northland:
Restrictions relating to blue cod are shown in the table below:
|
Blue cod... |
Rule |
|---|---|
|
Pot construction |
Rigid square mesh, where:
|
|
Accumulation limit |
You can have a total of 2 daily catch/bag limits of blue cod if:
|
|
Measurable state |
All blue cod must be landed whole or gutted. |
|
Eating blue cod on the boat |
|
![The map is available in a larger dimension (2953 x 3937) [PNG, 641KB] [PNG, 641 KB]](/assets/On-page-images/fisheries/1April2025-Hauraki-Lobster.png?m=1742846218){kind=link}