New Zealand
Oceania · Australia and New Zealand
Recreational spearfishing is legal in New Zealand saltwater for most finfish and rock lobster while free-diving, and no licence is required to fish in the sea. It is governed primarily by the Fisheries Act 1996 and the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013, which apply the same daily bag limits, minimum size limits and area rules to spearfishing as to other recreational methods. Key restrictions: rock lobster (crayfish) must NOT be taken by spear (reg 29); paua must NOT be taken using underwater breathing apparatus / scuba (reg 48); spearfishing is prohibited in all marine reserves (Marine Reserves Act 1971) and other no-take protected areas. Freshwater sports fish (trout, salmon, perch) cannot be speared - they may only be taken by angling under Fish & Game sports-fishing regulations made under the Conservation Act 1987. Note that recreational use of scuba/UBA to take most finfish by spear is not banned nationally, but the UBA ban does apply to paua and many regional bylaws apply.
Nuashonraithe go deireanach Meitheamh 15, 2026
Creat rialaitheach
- §Fisheries Act 1996
- §Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/482)
- §Marine Reserves Act 1971
- §Conservation Act 1987 (freshwater sports fish / Fish & Game sports fishing regulations)
- Ceadúnas riachtanach
- Ní gá
- Gunna spéire
- Ceadaithe
- Coigríche
- Fáilte
An dlí, focal ar fhocal
Téacsanna dlíthiúla
Na forálacha reachtúla agus rialála beachta a rialaíonn spearfishing anseo, luaite mar a foilsíodh, le nasc le gach foinse oifigiúil.
Definition of "spear"
Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/482)
spear— (a) means any device or implement capable of puncturing the flesh or exoskeleton of a fish; but (b) does not include any gaff or similar device used solely for the landing of finfish
Definition of "underwater breathing apparatus"
Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/482)
underwater breathing apparatus— (a) means an apparatus capable of being used for providing breathable gases underwater; and (b) includes any part of the apparatus; but (c) does not include a snorkel.
Prohibition on taking rock lobsters by spear
Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/482)
(1) A person must not— (a) set or use a baited net to take rock lobsters; or (b) possess any rock lobsters taken with a baited net. (2) A person must not use a spear to take rock lobsters or possess any rock lobsters that have been speared. (3) A person who contravenes subclause (1) or (2) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000.
Prohibition on using underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) for taking paua
Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/482)
(1) A person must not— (a) use any underwater breathing apparatus while taking paua: (b) possess any paua while in possession of any underwater breathing apparatus: (c) possess any paua in or on any conveyance in or on which there is any underwater breathing apparatus: (d) possess any paua that the person knows to have been taken when the person taking the paua was using underwater breathing apparatus. (2) A person who contravenes subclause (1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $10,000.
Combined daily limit for fish in Auckland and Kermadec FMA (example area limit applying to spearfishing)
Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/482)
(1) A person must not, on any day,— (a) take more than a total quantity of 20 fish of those species specified in Schedule 6 (the combined daily limit for fish) from the Auckland and Kermadec FMA; or (b) possess more than the combined daily limit for fish in the Auckland and Kermadec FMA; or (c) possess more than the combined daily limit for fish taken from within the Auckland and Kermadec FMA.
Daily limit for rock lobsters
Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/482)
(1) A person must not, on any day, take or possess more than 6 rock lobsters (the daily limit for rock lobsters).
Restrictions on taking fish from Mimiwhangata Peninsula area (spear permitted as one allowed method)
Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/482)
(1) A person must not take a species of fish specified in subclause (2) from the Mimiwhangata Peninsula area unless 1 of the following fishing methods is used: (a) a line, but only if the line does not have more than 1 hook attached to it and the line is not weighted in any way: (b) trolling: (c) a spear: (d) hand-gathering: (e) potting, but only if 1 pot per person or vessel is used in the area.
Cathain is féidir leat tumadh
Séasúir & srianta ama
Tréimhsí dúnta, oscailte agus srianta ar fud na bliana. Deimhnigh i gcónaí dúnta speicis-shonraithe go háitiúil.
- DúntaScallops (where regional closed season applies)Feabh 15 – Iúil 14
Under reg 28 of the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013, a closed season for scallops runs from 15 February to the close of 14 July in certain areas. Spearfishing does not typically target scallops, but season closures illustrate the regional/seasonal closure regime; many area-specific closures (e.g. recent scallop and paua closures) apply. Most finfish have no seasonal closure for recreational/spearfishing take.
Cead iascaireachta
Ceadúnas
Cad atá de dhíth ort le bheith ceadaithe san uisce, cad a chosnaíonn sé, agus conas é a fháil.
- Cineál
- No licence required for recreational sea fishing (including saltwater spearfishing). A Fish & Game sports-fishing licence is required for freshwater sports fish, but those fish cannot be speared.
- Costas
- Free for saltwater recreational fishing/spearfishing.
- Bailíocht
- n/a
- Conas a fháil
- No application needed for saltwater spearfishing. Anglers must comply with current rules; the NZ Fishing Rules app and signage at fishing spots provide area rules.
- Údarás
- Fisheries New Zealand (Ministry for Primary Industries)
Trealamh & teicníc
Rialacha trealamh
Cén trealamh atá ceadaithe, conas is féidir é a úsáid, agus na coinníollacha ceangailte.
Srianta
- A spear must not be used to take rock lobster (crayfish) - reg 29 Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013.
- Underwater breathing apparatus (scuba) must not be used to take paua, and you must not possess paua while in possession of, or in/on any conveyance carrying, UBA - reg 48.
- Freshwater sports fish (trout, salmon, perch) must not be speared; they may only be taken by permitted angling methods under Fish & Game sports-fishing regulations (Conservation Act 1987).
- Spearfishing is prohibited in all marine reserves (Marine Reserves Act 1971) and other no-take protected areas.
- "Spear" is defined broadly as any device or implement capable of puncturing the flesh or exoskeleton of a fish, excluding a gaff used solely for landing finfish.
Spearguns and hand spears are legal gear for taking most finfish while free-diving. National regulations do not impose a general ban on using scuba to spear finfish, but the UBA prohibition applies specifically to paua, and many regional bylaws and reserve rules further restrict scuba and spear use - always check local rules. Standard minimum size limits, daily bag limits and protected-species rules apply to speared catch the same as to any other method.
Cad is féidir leat a ghlacadh
Teorainneacha gabháil & speicis chosanta
Cuótaí laethúla, méideanna íosta, agus speicis nach féidir a thógáil go deo.
Teorainn laethúil
Area-specific combined daily limits apply. Example: in the Auckland & Kermadec Fishery Management Area a person must not take more than a total of 20 finfish (of species listed in Schedule 6) per day (reg 55). Rock lobster: maximum 6 per person per day nationally (reg 13). Limits differ by Fisheries Management Area and species - check the rules for your area.
Méideanna íosta
- Rock lobster (red, packhorse) - minimum legal size varies; measured by tail width / carapace per regulationsíos 0 cm
Speicis chosanta — ná tóg
- CosantaMarine mammals (all)
- CosantaMarine reptiles / sea turtles
- CosantaBlack coral, red/pink coral and protected corals
- CosantaSpotted black grouper
- CosantaGiant grouper / Queensland groper
- CosantaWhite pointer (great white) shark
- CosantaBasking shark, whale shark, oceanic whitetip, deepwater nurse shark and other protected sharks
- CosantaManta and spinetail devil rays
- CosantaSeahorses and pipefish (some protected)
Minimum legal sizes and combined/individual daily limits are set per species and per Fisheries Management Area in the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 schedules; exact minimum sizes were not all transcribed here. Protected species list is indicative - protected marine species are listed under the Wildlife Act 1953 and Marine Mammals Protection Act 1978 and may not be taken by any method. It is illegal to buy, sell or swap recreationally caught seafood (fines up to $250,000).
Cé is féidir iascaireacht
Cuairteoirí & cónaitheoirí
Conas a dhéanann na rialacha difear do chuairteoirí coigríche agus do chónaitheoirí áitiúla.
Cuairteoirí coigríche
CeadaitheRiachtanais
- No saltwater fishing licence required for visitors; same recreational rules apply to residents and non-residents.
- Comply with all bag/size limits, method restrictions and area closures.
Srianta
- Same restrictions as residents: no spearing of rock lobster, no scuba for paua, no spearfishing in marine reserves, no taking protected species.
Tourists and foreign nationals may spearfish in the sea on the same basis as New Zealand residents without any special permit. Customary (Māori) fishing rights and area-specific customary management areas are separate and do not generally affect ordinary recreational/visitor spearfishing in open waters.
Cónaitheoirí
No licence for saltwater spearfishing; Fish & Game sports-fishing licence required for freshwater angling (but freshwater sports fish cannot be speared).
Riachtanais
- Comply with the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 and any regional bylaws.
Sochair
- Recreational saltwater fishing and free-diving spearfishing available to the public without a permit or fee.
Recreational rules apply equally to residents and visitors. Māori customary (non-commercial) take is managed separately under customary fishing regulations.
Cá háit ar an gcósta
Criosanna ceadaithe & toirmiscthe
Ceantair ainmnithe atá oscailte nó dúnta do spearfishing. Féach an pictiúr iomlán ar an mapa idirghníomhach.
Ceantair cheadaithe
Free-diving spearfishing for finfish and rock lobster is generally permitted in open coastal sea waters outside marine reserves and other no-take protected areas, subject to the same daily bag limits, minimum size limits, protected-species rules and method restrictions as other recreational fishing. No saltwater fishing licence is required.
Rock lobster may not be speared (reg 29); paua may not be taken with scuba/UBA (reg 48); marine reserves and many regional closures/bylaws apply; size and bag limits apply per Fisheries Management Area.
Ceantair thoirmiscthe
- Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve (Goat Island)marine reserve
New Zealand's first marine reserve (established 1975), north of Auckland near Leigh. All fishing, including line fishing and spearfishing, and the removal or disturbing of any marine life is forbidden under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- Poor Knights Islands Marine Reservemarine reserve
Marine reserve off the east coast of Northland (~22 km offshore), fully no-take since 1998. No fishing of any kind from boat or shore; no taking or disturbing any marine life including shellfish and seaweeds. Spearfishing is prohibited under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- All New Zealand marine reserves (no-take)marine reserve
Spearfishing and all other fishing/taking of marine life is prohibited in every marine reserve managed by the Department of Conservation under the Marine Reserves Act 1971. Named reserves include (among ~30+): Akaroa, Cape Rodney-Okakari Point, the ten Fiordland reserves, Kaikoura, Kapiti, Long Bay-Okura, Mōtū Manawa-Pollen Island, Parininihi, Poor Knights, Rangitāhua/Kermadec Islands, Taputeranga, Tāwharanui, Tonga Island, Tūhua (Mayor Island), Whanganui Inlet (Westhaven) and Whangārei Harbour.
- Areas protected under the Conservation Act 1987 and other no-take / rahui / mataitai / taiapure restrictionsprotected area / customary closure
Spearfishing is prohibited or restricted in various marine protected areas, marine parks, cable-protection zones, rahui tapu (customary closures) and area-specific no-take zones declared under the Fisheries Act 1996 or other instruments. Local rules vary and must be checked before fishing.
- Tāwharanui Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-take marine reserve on the Tāwharanui Peninsula north of Auckland (established 2011, 394 ha). Fishing, taking or killing marine life is banned, so spearfishing is prohibited under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- Long Bay-Okura Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-take marine reserve on Auckland's North Shore (established 1995, ~980 ha) covering Long Bay and the Okura estuary. All fishing including spearfishing is prohibited under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- Te Whanganui-A-Hei (Cathedral Cove) Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-take marine reserve in the southern part of Mercury Bay, Coromandel Peninsula (840 ha), stretching from Cook Bluff to the northern end of Hahei Beach. Spearfishing prohibited under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- Tūhua (Mayor Island) Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-take marine reserve covering the northern coastline of Tūhua/Mayor Island, Bay of Plenty (established 1992), from Tumutu Point to Turanganui Point extending to one nautical mile offshore. Spearfishing prohibited under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- Tonga Island Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-take marine reserve along the Abel Tasman coast near Nelson, northern South Island (established 1993, 1,835 ha). All fishing including spearfishing prohibited under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- Kapiti Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-take marine reserve off Kapiti Island near Paraparaumu/Porirua on the lower North Island west coast (established 1992, ~21.7 km²). Spearfishing prohibited under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- Taputeranga Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-take marine reserve on Wellington's south coast (established 2008, ~855 ha) around Island Bay. All fishing including spearfishing prohibited under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- Parininihi Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-take marine reserve in the North Taranaki Bight, north-east of New Plymouth (established 2006, 1,800 ha). Spearfishing prohibited under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- Tapuae Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-take marine reserve off the Taranaki coast adjoining the Sugar Loaf Islands Marine Protected Area, near New Plymouth (established 2008, 1,404 ha). Spearfishing prohibited under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- Te Tapuwae o Rongokako Marine Reservemarine reserve
No-take marine reserve on the East Coast/Gisborne coast, approximately 16 km north of Gisborne, extending between the Waiomoko and Pouawa River mouths (~2,450 ha). Spearfishing prohibited under the Marine Reserves Act 1971.
- Mimiwhangata Marine Protected Area / Coastal Park (no-take)marine protected area
Coastal marine area off the Mimiwhangata Peninsula, east coast of Northland. Under reg 69 of the Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 spear was historically one of the few permitted methods, but rule changes now make this a no-take marine protection area: marine life may no longer be taken (except kina daily bag limits and customary take by permit), so spearfishing is now banned.
Coinníollacha ar an uisce
Coinníollacha beo
Grianghraf muirí agus aimsire beo in aice le pointe tagartha cósta in New Zealand, ó Open-Meteo. Athraíonn coinníollacha feadh an chósta — caith leis mar tháscaire.
Muirí beo & aimsir in aice le Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve (Goat Island).
Cé le fiafraí
Údaráis
Na comhlachtaí oifigiúla atá freagrach as iascach agus ceadúnú.
Fisheries New Zealand (Ministry for Primary Industries / Manatū Ahu Matua)
fisheries authority
mpi.govt.nz0800 008 333 (poaching/illegal fishing hotline); general MPI 0800 00 83 33Department of Conservation (Te Papa Atawhai)
environment / marine reserves authority
doc.govt.nz0800 362 468 (DOC HOTline 0800 DOC HOT for marine reserve breaches)Fish & Game New Zealand
freshwater sports fishing authority
fishandgame.org.nzRegional Fish & Game offices
Cá as a dtagann sé seo
Foinsí
Rianaíonn gach éileamh ar an leathanach seo ar ais go ceann de na tagairtí seo.
- [01]
Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/482) - whole, New Zealand Legislation
Oifigiúillegislation.govt.nzRochtain Mei 15 - [02]
Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/482) - PDF reproduction (FAOLEX/FAO mirror of NZ Legislation text, version as at 25 March 2022)
Oifigiúilfaolex.fao.orgRochtain Mei 15 - [03]
Reg 48 - Prohibition on using underwater breathing apparatus for taking paua, New Zealand Legislation
Oifigiúillegislation.govt.nzRochtain Mei 15 - [04]
Fishing rules - Ministry for Primary Industries (NZ Government)
Oifigiúilmpi.govt.nzRochtain Mei 15 - [05]
Rules for fishing gear, methods, and measuring - MPI
Oifigiúilmpi.govt.nzRochtain Mei 15 - [06]
Marine reserves - Department of Conservation
Oifigiúildoc.govt.nzRochtain Mei 15 - [07]
Poor Knights Islands Marine Reserve - Department of Conservation
Oifigiúildoc.govt.nzRochtain Mei 15 - [08]
Anglers Notice for Fish and Game Regions 2025 - New Zealand Gazette (freshwater sports fishing, no spearing of trout/salmon)
Oifigiúilgazette.govt.nzRochtain Mei 15 - [09]
New Zealand fishing rules 2025: Bag Limits & Licences - Action Outdoors (secondary summary)
Tánaisteachactionoutdoors.kiwiRochtain Mei 15
Nótaí taighdeora
Verbatim legal text in law_texts[] was extracted from the official Fisheries (Amateur Fishing) Regulations 2013 (SR 2013/482). The primary New Zealand Legislation site (legislation.govt.nz) was behind a human-verification/CAPTCHA wall during collection, so the verbatim wording was taken from the FAOLEX/FAO PDF reproduction of the official text (version as at 25 March 2022) and cross-checked against MPI guidance; source_urls point to the canonical legislation.govt.nz pages. Key practical rules for spearfishers: (1) free-dive spearfishing of most finfish is legal with no licence; (2) rock lobster CANNOT be speared; (3) paua CANNOT be taken with scuba/UBA; (4) trout/salmon/perch cannot be speared; (5) no spearfishing in marine reserves or other no-take areas; (6) standard bag/size/protected-species limits apply per Fisheries Management Area. Exact per-species minimum sizes and per-area combined limits vary and should be checked in the regulation schedules or the NZ Fishing Rules app before fishing. Coordinates for Goat Island and Poor Knights are approximate reserve centroids. data_confidence=high because core method restrictions are sourced verbatim from the official regulations; some size-limit detail and a small number of reserve coordinates are summarised rather than exhaustively transcribed.
Cuir in iúl dom nuair a athraíonn rialacha New Zealand
Seolfaimid ríomhphost chugat nuair a nuashonraítear séasúir nó rialacháin New Zealand inár dtacar sonraí.