Southland area fishing rules

In the Southland area, there is a combined daily bag limit of 30 finfish* per fisher (excluding specified baitfish and freshwater eels).

This means that you can have a combination of up to 30 of any finfish in total. For example, you could have 10 kahawai, 10 blue moki and 10 red cod. As long as you have no more than 30 in total.

There are also species with individual daily limits within the combined daily bag limit of 30 (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, 15 kahawai and 10 red cod.

In addition to the combined daily bag limit of 30, 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 blue moki, 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 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.

Table 1: Individual species daily limits within the combined bag limit

Table 2 - Further size limits for finfish within the combined bag limit

Table 3: Additional to combined bag limit

Table 4 – Additional to combined bag limit

Shellfish are taken when they cannot freely return to the water – for example, when they are placed into a catch bag or similar. At no time while gathering may you be in possession of 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.

Fiordland shellfish daily bag and size limits

* Excluding Stewart Island, where the mussel limit is 50.

† A diver or divers on a vessel may gather an additional bag limit of oysters or scallops for up to two people acting in a dive safety capacity on the vessel.

# Toheroa must not be taken, possessed or disturbed unless authorised by a Customary Authority.

• This is a combined, mixed-species bag limit. It applies to all shellfish species not specifically named above and includes all crabs, limpets, catseyes, cook’s turban, starfish, periwinkles and freshwater crayfish (koura).

This section has the rules for both:

• spiny rock lobster
• packhorse lobster.

Remember, there may be other specific rules in some areas. Check the "Closed areas and special restrictions" section on this page for more information.

Rules changing in CRA5 area from 1 July 2020

Daily bag limits

Maximum of 6 rock lobster (both species combined) per day.

Rock lobster minimum sizes

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

Other rules and protections

There are rules for gathering rock lobster/crayfish that cover:

• protected types
• banned gathering methods
• pot construction and use.

Protected types

Some types of rock lobster are protected. You must return them to the water straight away. Protected rock lobsters are:

• undersized rock lobster
• any female rock lobster carrying external eggs ("in berry") – these are carried on the underside of the tail
• any rock lobster in the soft shell stage
• any rock lobster that cannot be measured (for example, because of damage to the tail preventing accurate measurement). Specific exemptions for very large rock lobster with damaged tails mean you can keep:
  • Spiny rock lobsters that weigh 600g or more, or have a carapace (body) length of 110mm or more.
  • Packhorse rock lobsters that weigh 2kg or more, or have a tail length of 216mm or more.

Banned gathering methods

• You can't possess rock lobster in an unmeasurable state seaward of the high water mark.
• No spring-loaded loops or lassos – hand operated only.
• No spears or puncturing devices – it is an offence to possess a speared rock lobster.
• Do not remove external eggs from any rock lobster.
• No baited nets.
• Maximum of 3 rock lobster pots per fisher.
• Maximum of 6 rock lobster pots from a vessel for 2 or more fishers.

Visit this page for information on pot construction and use:

Rock lobster

Pikomamaku (Womens Island) Mātaitai Reserve

Note: All fishing is totally prohibited.

No person may take or possess any fish, aquatic life or seaweed from within the reserve.

Womens Island/ Pikomamaku is in the North Tītī Isles group, Foveaux Strait.

Find full details and a map under 'Mataitai reserves'.

All other closed areas, restrictions, and reserves

The lists below show areas where:

• fishing is not allowed (closed areas)
• size limits and catch limits might be different (special restrictions).

There's more information in the rules brochure and NZ Fishing Rules app.

Closed areas

No fishing is allowed, this includes Marine Reserves.

• Ulva Island – Te Wharawhara Marine Reserve

Marine reserves are managed by the Department of Conservation (DOC).

A to Z of marine reserves – DOC website

Restricted areas

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.

• Slope Point to Sandhill Point – no set netting
• Te Waewae Bay between Old Man Rock, west of Garden Bay and Sandhill Point – no set netting.

Blue cod restrictions

Mātaitai reserves

Areas where tangata whenua manage non-commercial fishing through bylaws.

Mataura River - Southland

• view the map [PDF, 191 KB]
• read the bylaw notice – NZ Gazette

Waitutu - Southland

• view the map [JPG, 2.4 MB]
• read the bylaw notice – NZ Gazette

Te Whaka a Te Wera – Stewart Island

• view the map [PDF, 2.7 MB]
• read the bylaw notice – NZ Gazette
• read the corrigendum to the notice – NZ Gazette

Horomamae – Titi Islands

• view the map [PDF, 144 KB]
• read the bylaw notice – NZ Gazette

Pikomamaku – Titi Islands

Pikomamaku Mātaitai Reserve is in 2 parts:  

Area 1: North end of Womens Island extending 110m along the MHWM and extending 30m seaward at its widest point.  

Area 2: The South-west quarter of Womens Island extending 150m offshore from the MHWM bounded between the following boundary coordinate points:

A: 46°49.52’S and 168°14.69’E                       B: 46°49.60’S and 168°14.69’E

C: 46°49.44’S and 168°14.52’E                       D: 46°49.44’S and 168°14.64’E

Download the map [PDF, 1.9 MB]

Read the bylaw notice – NZ Gazette

Kaihuka – Titi Islands

• View the map [PDF, 138 KB]
• Read the bylaw notice – NZ Gazette

Rules brochures

Mataura River Mātaitai

Te Whaka a Te Wera/Paterson Inlet Mātaitai Reserve

Southland set net prohibited areas, including Te Waewae Bay

All recreational and commercial set netting is prohibited in the Southland FMA inshore waters between Slope Point, Haldane to Sand Hill Point, Te Waewae Bay – extending offshore out to 4 nautical miles. The set net prohibition area for Te Waewae Bay, bounded between Sand Hill Point and Wakaputa Point, now extends out to 10 nautical miles offshore.

Note: Recreational set netting is also prohibited in the Fiordland (Te Moana o Atawhenua) Marine Area, lying west of Sand Hill Point and extending seaward out to 12 nautical miles. Set netting is also prohibited east of Slope Point up the South Island east coast.

Unless specified, the set netting prohibition does not apply to internal harbours, inside river mouth entrances and estuaries. It is unlawful to take any freshwater sports fish (trout or salmon) using a set net.

Shellfish food safety warnings

We issue warnings not to collect shellfish when testing shows that they contain unsafe levels of toxins.

Check for shellfish warnings