Golden Snapper

Koarea

Centroberyx affinis formerly Trachichthodes affinis

Also known as Red snapper, Redfish, Nannygai, Eastern nannygai, King snapper

Saltwater

Saltwater

Golden snapper (koarea, also called red snapper or nannygai) is a bright orange-red reef fish with very large eyes and a strongly forked red tail. It lives on deep coastal reefs, mostly in northern New Zealand. Despite the name it is not a true snapper. The tender, sweet white flesh eats well.

Eating: Excellent (3 of 3)Excellent eating, especially smoked. Watch the sharp spines on the head and gill covers.
Where you catch it: Offshore boat (3 of 3)An occasional catch on deep reefs in Northland, the outer Hauraki Gulf and the Bay of Plenty.
Fight: Light (1 of 3)A small fish, rarely over 2 kg, so it gives a light fight.

How to identify golden snapper

Golden snapper are bright orange-red, darker above than below, and can flash silver under artificial light. Each scale has a pale red spot and golden edge, which forms thin lines along the sides. The head is large and spiny, with very large eyes and a big oblique mouth. The tail is red and strongly forked. Despite the name it is not a true snapper but a relative of the alfonsinos and orange roughy. Take care with the small spines on the gill cover, which can give a painful jab.

Often confused with

SnapperChrysophrys auratusSnapper are pink to copper with bright blue spots and a blunt head, while golden snapper are evenly orange-red with much larger eyes.

Size and daily limits

Daily limitNo species limitCounts towards the combined finfish limit (20–30 a day). A shared limit applies in Fiordland.Limits for each area

Golden snapper: minimum size and daily limit by MPI area
Area	Min. size	Daily limit
Auckland and Kermadec area	None	No species limit (combined 20 a day)
Central area	None	No species limit (combined 20 a day)
Challenger area	None	No species limit (combined 20 a day)
Kaikōura area	None	No species limit (combined 30 a day)
South-East area	None	No species limit (combined 30 a day)
Fiordland area (Fiordland Marine Area)	None	Varies, see note No species limit: counts towards Fiordland's 'any other finfish' limit of 10 a day, or 4 inside the Fiords.
Southland area	None	No species limit (combined 30 a day)

Not named on any regional page; combined finfish limit only.

Checked 22 October 2026 · Source: MPI. Rules change, so check the NZ Fishing Rules app before you keep a fish.

Where it lives in New Zealand

Golden snapper live around deep coastal reefs, especially caves, overhangs and the sides of pinnacles, and in open water down to about 400 m. They occur throughout New Zealand but are rare south of East Cape and Cape Egmont. Schools hold near the bottom by day and spread out at night to feed on small fish and invertebrates. Juveniles live in much shallower water, including bays and estuaries.

DepthDown to 400 m

How to catch it

Few people target golden snapper. Recreational fishers catch them now and then while line fishing on deep reefs in Northland, the outer Hauraki Gulf and the Bay of Plenty. Commercially they are mostly a bycatch of snapper longlining off east Northland and of trawling and set netting. Spearfishers occasionally take them in caves and archways where they shelter in low light.

Eating

Golden snapper has tender white to pinkish flesh with a sweet, mild flavour. It can be cooked by most methods, including pan-frying, baking and steaming, and is also eaten raw as sashimi. Watch the gill-cover spines when cleaning and filleting.

Good to know

Golden snapper (red snapper, code RSN) entered the Quota Management System on 1 October 2004. It is slow-growing and long-lived, with Australian studies suggesting ages of at least 35 to 40 years. There has been no stock assessment in New Zealand.

Questions

Is golden snapper a real snapper?

No. Despite the name, golden snapper is not a true snapper but a relative of the alfonsinos and orange roughy. Snapper are pink to copper with bright blue spots and a blunt head, while golden snapper are evenly orange-red with much larger eyes.

Is golden snapper good eating?

Yes. Golden snapper has tender white to pinkish flesh with a sweet, mild flavour. Pan-fry, bake or steam it, or eat it raw as sashimi. Watch the small spines on the gill cover when cleaning and filleting, as they can give a painful jab.

Where are golden snapper found in NZ?

Mainly on deep coastal reefs in the north, around caves, overhangs and the sides of pinnacles, down to about 400 m. They occur throughout New Zealand but are rare south of East Cape and Cape Egmont. Juveniles live in shallower bays and estuaries.

Is red snapper the same as snapper?

No. In New Zealand, 'red snapper' usually means golden snapper (Centroberyx affinis), which is a different family from snapper (Chrysophrys auratus). Golden snapper are orange-red all over with very large eyes and a spiny head; snapper are pink to copper with bright blue spots.

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