New Zealand: Fishery officers inspecting your blue cod catch during Marlborough opening weekend

Fishery officers will be inspecting catch bags and bins all weekend as the blue cod season opens throughout the Marlborough region. The daily limit per person is 2, with a minimum size of 33cm. Fisheries New Zealand district manager, Stuart Moore says expect to see a strong visual presence of fishery officers throughout the region. "Blue cod is a popular fish to catch by locals and visitors. We’ll be at the boat ramps and on the water, checking people’s catch. Following the rules will help keep blue cod sustainable into the future so that everyone can have the chance to put fresh kaimoana on the dinner table. Our advice is to fish for a feed because you don’t want to catch a fine. When catching blue cod, it’s important to remember that along with the daily limit, they must be landed whole or gutted, unless the fish is eaten immediately aboard a boat. You cannot fillet blue cod and then claim it was the legal size. Mr Moore says people planning to take blue cod need to understand ...