National Blue Cod Strategy

• On this page:

• About the National Blue Cod Strategy
• Release of the strategy
• First round of public feedback and 2 expert workshops
• Second round of public feedback
• Public consultation
• Changes to blue cod fishing rules
• Blue cod species and stock status information
• Responsible blue cod fishing guidelines
• Stay informed

National Blue Cod Strategy

The main aim of the strategy is to work together to deliver abundant and sustainable blue cod fisheries for all. We have collaborated with iwi, stakeholders and a blue cod expert group to develop and finalise it.

Download the strategy

National Blue Cod Strategy [PDF, 3.7 MB]

Release of the strategy

On 20 December 2018, Hon Stuart Nash (Minister of Fisheries) publicly endorsed the National Blue Cod Strategy.

The strategy takes a proactive approach to managing the blue cod fishery.

Find more information on the National Blue Cod Strategy – media release

We will be consulting on a number of proposed regulatory changes in 2019 that are outlined in the strategy (the strategy itself is not being consulted on). We will release more information, including opportunities to meet with us to provide input into the options, closer to the time. So keep an eye out on this web page or in the media for updates.

In the meantime, if you have any questions about the strategy, email info@mpi.govt.nz

Timeline of past public engagement and events

Past events and work since 2017 have included:

• the first round of public feedback and 2 expert workshops
• the econd round of public feedback
• public consultation
• the changes to blue cod fishing rules.

First public feedback round and 2 expert workshops (2017)

In September 2017, we:

• ran a nationwide online survey
• held drop-in information meetings in the South Island.

This was part of Wider Engagement 1. We wanted to find out what people thought about:

• their local blue cod fisheries
• what the major issues in their local blue cod fisheries were
• the strategy's aim and objectives that were developed during the first expert workshop.

Download information distributed at the drop-in meetings [PDF, 4 MB]

Some key results

• In general, the feedback indicated that blue cod fisheries in most areas are doing okay. However, it also suggested there are issues in some areas that need to be resolved.
• The aim and objectives of the strategy were widely supported, including by 90% of the survey respondents.
• Some of the main concerns nationally were recreational daily catch/bag limits, total allowable commercial catch, released fish mortality, illegal take, and localised depletion.
• The issues facing the blue cod fishery differ regionally, highlighting the different stresses facing local blue cod fisheries throughout the country.
• More than 85% of respondents to the online survey were recreational fishers.

A summary of the key findings [PDF, 1.6 MB]

Full report – results and feedback from Wider Engagement 1 [PDF, 7.4 MB]

Developing the options

In October 2017, we held the second expert workshop in Christchurch to:

• review the results from Wider Engagement 1
• begin developing options to achieve the aims and objectives of the strategy.

Second round of public feedback

Over 4 weeks in March and April 2018, we:

• ran a second nationwide online survey
• held more information meetings around the South Island, and in Wellington.

This was part of Wider Engagement 2.

We wanted to:

• discuss the results of first round of engagement
• find out what people thought of the proposals developed by the expert group
• check whether we had missed anything that needed to be included.

Download posters presented at the drop-in sessions [PDF, 5.3 MB]

Some key results

• 150 people attended the 9 information sessions.
• 1,182 responses received for the second online survey from all over New Zealand.
• In general, the majority of respondents were very supportive of the proposals.

We received strong support for the proposals in the strategy to address:

• slow decision making
• lack of education around blue cod's unique biology
• current inconsistency in management approaches between areas
• recreational rules (current bag limits and filleting at sea)
• environmental impacts
• lack of recreational catch data and fine-scale commercial data.

A summary of the key findings 2 [PDF, 971 KB]

Full report – results and feedback from Wider Engagement 2 [PDF, 9.9 MB]

Public consultation (2019)

In December 2019, the Government began considering final advice on the proposed amendments to the blue cod regulations.

On 28 March 2019, we began reviewing the consultation submissions we received.

From 29 January to 26 March 2019, we ran a public consultation on these proposed changes to the blue cod fishing regulations:

• Require all fishers to have a minimum cod pot mesh size of 54mm.
• Standardise the Minimum Legal Size (MLS) for recreational fishing at 33cm.
• Require all recreational fishers to land blue cod in a measurable state.
• Set a 2-day accumulation limit for recreational fishing.
• Change the recreational daily bag limits for some blue cod stocks, according to a ‘traffic light’ system.

We received many submissions. We provided advice to the Minister of Oceans and Fisheries based on the information we received.

Implementing the proposed changes to regulations was just one part of the National Blue Cod Strategy. We will implement the other parts of the strategy in a staged approach.

Find out more about the consultation and what it covered

Reviewing the consultation

On 28 March 2019, we began reviewing the consultation submissions we received.

In December 2019, the Government began considering final advice on the proposed amendments to the blue cod regulations.

Changes to blue cod fishing rules (2020)

In May 2020, following consultation, the Minister for Oceans and Fisheries made decisions on blue cod regulations for both recreational and commercial fishing.

The minister decided to:

• require a minimum mesh size on blue cod pots of 54mm for both commercial and recreational fishers
• apply a recreational minimum legal size of 33cm for blue cod in all areas, except BCO 1 (upper North Island) where the minimum legal size will remain at 30cm
• require recreational fishers to land blue cod in a measurable state (unless to be immediately eaten on the fishing vessel from which it was taken)
• apply a two-day accumulation limit for recreational blue cod fishers based on the daily bag limit set for all areas (except for the Fiordland Marine Area where the accumulation limit is 1 day)
• set the daily recreational bag limits for blue cod in areas of the South Island and the Chatham Islands according to a traffic light system.

Note: The traffic light system assigns a colour rating to different areas in the South Island and the Chatham Islands. The rating can be changed as available information suggests stock health is improving or declining. The following blue cod bag limits apply to the areas:

• green areas (healthy) are 15
• orange (rebuilding/declining) are 10
• red (in trouble) are 2.

These measures have been in effect since 1 July 2020.

Recreational blue cod regulations overview – Map [PDF, 1.1 MB]

Regulation changes were delayed in April 2020

Regulation changes for blue cod were delayed in April 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Blue cod species and stock status information

Want to know more about blue cod in your area?

Find out more about your blue cod fishery and stock status

Responsible blue cod fishing guidelines

As part of the strategy, we have developed responsible fishing guidelines for blue cod. If you follow the guidelines, it will help ensure undersized blue cod survive and continue to contribute to the fishery.

Responsible blue cod fishing guidelines [PDF, 1.1 MB]

Stay informed

You can keep up-to-date on our progress with the strategy on this web page or:

• sign up to our recreational fishing mailing list
• subscribe to consultations and media releases

Or follow one of our recreational fisheries Facebook pages:

• Northland
• Nelson/Marlborough/Kaikōura
• Canterbury/Westland
• Otago/Southland

Who to contact

If you have questions about the blue cod strategy, email info@mpi.govt.nz