This guide was created to assist recreational fishers and fishing clubs in identifying species of large tuna using external features of freshly caught fish. There is a recreational bag limit of one southern bluefin tuna per person per day and the need for fast identification and live release is increasing. …
This report outlines the findings of the New Zealand Gamefish Tagging Programme (NZGTP) for the 2022–23 to 2024–25 fishing years. The NZGTP is a cooperative project between Fisheries New Zealand, the New Zealand Sport Fishing Council (NZSFC), its affiliated clubs, and other recreational and commercial fishers. The programme collects data…
The November 2025 Billfish News marks a transition for the New Zealand Billfish Logbook Programme, with Sydney Curtis of Marinus Limited taking over management under a new three-year contract from Fisheries New Zealand, following nearly two decades of leadership by John Holdsworth and Sandra Gaskell. The update also covers early…
The July 2024 Billfish News highlights an eventful New Zealand billfish season, with strong striped marlin catches extending further south than usual and high tag-and-release participation during the NZSFC Nationals. Several tagged marlin recaptures provided insights into fish movement within New Zealand waters, while long-term recaptures of southern bluefin tuna,…
The December 2024 Billfish News reports an early start to the New Zealand billfish season, with warm water and bait attracting tuna and billfish earlier than usual. The update highlights a remarkable satellite-tagged striped marlin that travelled approximately 4,740 nautical miles after being tagged off the Cavalli Islands, providing new…
The December 2023 Billfish News provides an update on the New Zealand striped marlin fishery, including insights from the Billfish Logbook Programme and recent tagging research. Data from the 2023 season highlights regional differences in fishing success and contributes to the upcoming Southwest Pacific striped marlin stock assessment. The report…
This report estimates the total recreational catch of southern bluefin tuna in New Zealand for the 2022-23 fishing year. Overall, the total number of southern bluefin tuna caught in the recreational fishery was estimated to be about 1500, which is less than previous years, however, the average weight was lower….
The 2022-23 season saw a repeat of the last two years in the North, with periods of persistent easterlies and warm, wet tropical lows, limiting fishable days. The South Island benefitted from warm water and calm weather, with great summer bluefin tuna fishing and striped marlin as far south as…
Six pop-off satellite tags were deployed by the New Plymouth Sportfishing and Underwater Club in February and March 2023. At last, we have detailed tracks from west coast tagged striped marlin, thanks to ongoing support from the IGFA Great Marlin Race programme and the NZMarine Research Foundation. Four of the…
This guide was created to assist recreational fishers and fishing clubs in identifying species of tuna that are less than 30 kg using external features of freshly caught fish. The range of juvenile tunas has been increasing and some recreational fishers may catch these for the first time. There is…