across the country and easier to follow.”

Public consultation on the changes ran from 6 October to 18 November 2021 and Fisheries New Zealand received 1,467 submissions from across a wide range of interests.

Specified baitfish and freshwater eels are not included, and have their own separate limits additional to the combined daily bag limit.

An example of a species with an individual daily limit is kingfish, which has a daily limit of three per angler. These individual limits will be retained but are now included within the combined daily bag limit.

For example, a fisher in the Auckland/Kermadec, Central or Challenger areas can take three kingfish and up to 17 other finfish to make up their daily limit of 20.

Southern bluefin tuna, which has a daily limit of one per person per day, will now be included in the amateur regulations.

Previously, anyone taking excess southern bluefin tuna was issued with a warning or faced prosecution, but now Fisheries Officers will be able to issue infringement notices.

Changes to the recreational daily bag limits took effect on May 5, 2022. Updates and information about these changes, including the specified baitfish species, can be found on MPI’s website at www.mpi.govt.nz/ recfishing-consultation.