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Challenger fishing rules: size and bag limits

In the Challenger area, every finfish you keep counts towards a combined limit of 20 a day, plus any limit for that species. The table below gives the minimum size and daily limit for each species, with the local exceptions. Checked against MPI on 22 October 2026.

Can I keep it?

Pick the fish and where you're fishing. Add its length to check it against the minimum size.

Snapper in the Challenger area

Minimum size
25 cm
Daily limit
10 a day
Combined finfish limit
20 a day

Local exceptions

  • Marlborough Sounds area: 3 per day, min 25 cm (set net bans apply).
  • Paringa, Popotai Taumaka/Open Bay Islands, Okahu/Jacksons Bay and Tauneke/Barn Bay Mātaitai Reserves: 5 per day, min 25 cm.

Checked 22 October 2026 · Source: MPI. This is a guide; the official MPI rules apply.

Combined daily limit

Combined 20 per fisher per day; 10 inside the Paringa, Popotai Taumaka/Open Bay Islands, Okahu/Jacksons Bay and Tauneke/Barn Bay Mātaitai Reserves (counted within the 20). Vessel limit of 30 finfish from those reserves per day.

Size and daily limits in the Challenger area

SpeciesMin. sizeDaily limitLocal exceptions
AlbacoreNo min.Combined
BarracoutaNo min.Combined
Black OreoNo min.Combined
Blue Cod33 cmVariesLocal exceptions
Blue Moki40 cmCombined
BluenoseNo min.5 a dayLocal exceptions
Butterfish35 cm5 a dayLocal exceptions
CocklesNo min.150 a dayLocal exceptions
Crayfish6 cm6 a dayLocal exceptions
GemfishNo min.Combined
Golden SnapperNo min.Combined
Grey MulletNo min.Combined
HakeNo min.Combined
HāpukuNo min.2 a dayLocal exceptions
HokiNo min.Combined
Jack MackerelNo min.50 a dayLocal exceptions
John DoryNo min.Combined
KahawaiNo min.Combined
KinaNo min.50 a dayLocal exceptions
Kingfish75 cm3 a dayLocal exceptions
LeatherjacketNo min.Combined
LingNo min.Combined
MusselsNo min.50 a dayLocal exceptions
Orange RoughyNo min.Combined
OystersNo min.250 a dayLocal exceptions
Pacific Bluefin TunaNo min.Combined
Pāua12.5 cm5 a dayLocal exceptions
PipiNo min.150 a dayLocal exceptions
PōraeNo min.Combined
Red Gurnard25 cmCombined
RigNo min.Combined
Sand Flounder25 cmCombined
Scallops9 cm50 a dayLocal exceptions
School SharkNo min.Combined
Snapper25 cm10 a dayLocal exceptions
Sole25 cmCombined
StargazerNo min.Combined
Tarakihi25 cm10 a dayLocal exceptions
Trevally25 cmCombined
Trumpeter35 cmCombined
TuatuaNo min.150 a dayLocal exceptions
Yellow-eyed MulletNo min.50 a dayLocal exceptions
Yellowbelly Flounder25 cmCombined
Yellowfin TunaNo min.Combined

"Combined" means no species limit; the fish counts towards the area's combined finfish limit. "Varies" means the limit depends on a sub-area or is shared with other species; see the species page.

Local exceptions

Local exceptions and extra rules by species in the Challenger area
SpeciesWhat's different here
Blue Cod
  • By area: Tasman (Farewell Spit to Clarence River, incl. Marlborough Sounds) 2 per day; Kahurangi (Heaphy River to Farewell Spit) 10; Westland (south bank of Haast River to Heaphy River) 15; South West (Sandhill Point to south bank of Haast River) 10; Paringa, Popotai Taumaka/Open Bay Islands, Okahu/Jacksons Bay and Tauneke/Barn Bay Mātaitai Reserves: 5 per person, vessel limit 15.
  • Min 33 cm.
  • Landed whole or gutted only, except Westland and the mātaitai reserves where headed-and-gutted is also allowed (headed min 24 cm, measured from base of side pectoral fin to middle ray of tail).
  • Marlborough Sounds closed to blue cod 1 September to 10 January (inclusive) each year.
  • May possess up to 4 in Challenger Tasman area if proven no more than 2 taken on any one day there.
  • Multi-day trips: 2 daily limits with proof.
Bluenose
  • Paringa, Popotai Taumaka/Open Bay Islands, Okahu/Jacksons Bay and Tauneke/Barn Bay Mātaitai Reserves: 2 per day.
Butterfish
  • 5 per day from 1 Nov 2026 (no butterfish-specific limit before, only the combined finfish limit).
Cockles
  • No minimum size.
  • Makaawhio mātaitai: 20 per day at Okāhu, Paringa, Mahitahi/Bruce Bay, Manakaiaua/Hunts Beach and Okarito Lagoon; no take at the other reserves.
Crayfish
  • Size is tail width between the tips of the two large spines on the second tail segment: male 54 mm, female 60 mm (use 60 mm if unsure of sex).
  • Spiny and packhorse combined 6 per day (max 3 packhorse).
  • Bush End Point (Farewell Spit) to Clarence Point: telson clipping required; multi-day possession max 18 spiny (3 daily limits), including at home; each day's catch held in a separate bag labelled with fisher's name, date and number.
  • Makaawhio mātaitai: no take at Okarito Lagoon, Manakaiaua/Hunts Beach, Mahitahi/Bruce Bay, Tauparikaka and Okuru/Mussel Point; Paringa, Popotai Taumaka/Open Bay Islands, Okahu/Jackson Bay and Tauneke/Barn Bay: 6 per day, vessel limit 18, no spiny over 70 mm tail width.
  • Return berried females, soft-shell and unmeasurable rock lobster.
  • No spears, spring-loaded loops or baited nets.
  • Max 3 pots per fisher, 6 per vessel for 2 or more fishers.
Hāpuku
  • Accumulation limit of no more than 3 per fisher over more than one day.
  • Paringa, Popotai Taumaka/Open Bay Islands, Okahu/Jacksons Bay and Tauneke/Barn Bay Mātaitai Reserves: 1 per day.
Jack Mackerel
  • Baitfish limit: 50 a day of any mix of baitfish, on top of the combined finfish limit.
Kina
  • No minimum size.
  • Makaawhio mātaitai: 50 per day where allowed; no take at Okuru/Mussel Point, Mahitahi/Bruce Bay, Manakaiaua/Hunts Beach and Okarito Lagoon.
Kingfish
  • Paringa, Popotai Taumaka/Open Bay Islands, Okahu/Jacksons Bay and Tauneke/Barn Bay Mātaitai Reserves: 1 per day, min 75 cm.
Mussels
  • No minimum size.
  • Makaawhio mātaitai: 20 per day where listed.
Oysters
  • Rock and Pacific oysters share one limit.
  • No minimum size.
Pāua
  • Size is shell length: the longest straight line across the underside of the shell (not over the curve).
  • Land in the shell; no shucking seaward of the mean high-water mark.
  • No underwater breathing apparatus (UBA) while taking or holding pāua.
  • Tasman, Nelson and Marlborough: 5 per day, min 125 mm.
  • All other Challenger areas: 10 per day, min 125 mm.
  • Kaikōura pāua fishery (Marfells Beach to Conway River): open 1 May to 31 Aug only, 3 per day, min 130 mm; Oaro-Haumuri Taiāpure 2 per day, min 135 mm.
  • Makaawhio (West Coast) mātaitai: 5 per day blackfoot and yellowfoot combined, vessel limit 15 where stated; no take at Okahu/Jackson Bay, Popotai Taumaka/Open Bay Islands, Mahitahi/Bruce Bay, Okuru/Mussel Point and Okarito Lagoon.
Pipi
  • No minimum size.
  • Makaawhio mātaitai: 20 per day at Okāhu, Paringa, Mahitahi/Bruce Bay, Manakaiaua/Hunts Beach and Okarito Lagoon; no take at the other reserves.
Scallops
  • MOSTLY CLOSED.
  • Marlborough Sounds, Tasman Bay, Golden Bay and Port Underwood have been closed since 15 Jul 2018 until further notice (southern scallop fishery, SCA 7).
  • Where open, the table gives 50 per day, min 90 mm, season 15 Jul to 14 Feb.
  • Size is the greatest diameter of the shell.
  • Land in the shell (scallops you eat at sea may be shucked and still count).
  • A diver on a vessel may take extra limits for up to 2 safety people on board (max 2 extra limits per vessel).
Snapper
  • Marlborough Sounds area: 3 per day, min 25 cm (set net bans apply).
  • Paringa, Popotai Taumaka/Open Bay Islands, Okahu/Jacksons Bay and Tauneke/Barn Bay Mātaitai Reserves: 5 per day, min 25 cm.
Tarakihi
  • 10 per day from 1 Nov 2026 (no tarakihi-specific limit before, only the combined finfish limit).
Tuatua
  • No minimum size.
  • Makaawhio mātaitai: 20 per day at Okāhu; no take at the other reserves.
Yellow-eyed Mullet
  • Baitfish limit: 50 a day of any mix of baitfish, on top of the combined finfish limit.

Official source

These limits come from MPI's Challenger area fishing rules page (last reviewed by MPI on 15.07.26), checked by us on 22 October 2026. Before you keep a fish, check the NZ Fishing Rules app, because closures can be added at short notice.

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