Explanatory note
This note is not part of the regulations, but is intended to indicate their general effect.
The Fiordland blue cod closure area currently includes the internal waters of Doubtful, Thompson, and Bradshaw Sounds. These regulations amend the principal regulations to reopen those 3 Sounds to recreational fishing for blue cod. The remainder of the Fiordland blue cod closure area is renamed as the Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) blue cod closure area and remains closed. The regulations impose a daily limit of 1 for blue cod taken from the combined internal waters of Doubtful, Thompson, and Bradshaw Sounds. The current daily limit for blue cod taken from the whole of the internal water of Fiordland (including Doubtful, Thompson, and Bradshaw Sounds but excluding the Milford Sound (Piopiotahi) blue cod closure area) remains at 3.
The principal regulations currently provide a daily limit for blue cod of 3 in the Challenger (East) area and 2 in the Marlborough Sounds area. These regulations reduce this to a daily limit of 2 blue cod for those 2 areas combined. The accumulated possession limit for blue cod from that combined area is correspondingly changed to 4. The regulations also change the size limits for blue cod in those areas to a minimum length of 33 cm.
The regulations also amend the principal regulations so that the offences relating to blue cod recreational fishing are the same for the Marlborough Sounds area and Challenger East area. The amendments will also bring the penalties for offences into line with penalties for comparable offences.
Regulatory impact statement
The Ministry for Primary Industries produced regulatory impact statements on 26 August 2015 and 11 September 2015 to help inform the decisions taken by the Government relating to the contents of this instrument.
A copy of these regulatory impact statements can be found at—
Issued under the authority of the Legislation Act 2012.
Date of notification in Gazette: 19 November 2015.
These regulations are administered by the Ministry for Primary Industries.