Snapper (also known as Tāmure, Pink Snapper) in New Zealand (FMA1 — Auckland & northeast). Minimum legal size, daily bag limit, possession limit — verified against the Fisheries New Zealand guide, 2026.
In New Zealand (FMA1 — Auckland & northeast), the minimum legal size for Snapper is 30 cm and the daily bag limit is 7. There is no closed season in NZ.
No closed season
Snapper in the Auckland & Kermadec area (stock SNA1) has a 30 cm minimum legal size and a daily limit of 7 — settings in place since the April 2014 SNA1 rebuild. Snapper also counts toward the area's combined daily limit of 20 finfish per person (a rule that since 5 May 2022 includes all finfish). New Zealand's limits are area-based: the west-coast snapper stock and other regions use different sizes and bag limits, so always confirm the rules for the exact area you are fishing.
These limits are pulled from the Fisheries New Zealand recreational fishing rules (Auckland & Kermadec area). Last verified June 2026.
Always check the official guide before keeping any fish. Regulations change. Fisheries New Zealand (Tini a Tangaroa), Ministry for Primary Industries updates its guide annually and occasionally mid-year. Fines for over-bag or undersized fish are significant.
New Zealand does not require any licence to fish recreationally in the sea — saltwater fishing is open to everyone, subject to the size, bag and method rules. A licence from Fish & Game New Zealand is required only to fish for freshwater sports fish (trout and salmon).
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