Tarakihi

Nemadactylus macropterus · Tarakihi (Māori)

Tarakihi (te reo Māori: Tarakihi), Nemadactylus macropterus. Fished from a boat and spearfishing. In October it is in season in Auckland / Kermadec, Central, Challenger, South-East and Kaikōura Marine Area.

Season by fishing area

MPI area	Months	Spawning
Auckland / Kermadec	All year · now	–
Central	All year · now	Dec–May
Challenger	All year · now	–
South-East	All year · now	Dec–May
Kaikōura Marine Area	All year · now	Dec–May

Summer–autumn; spawning grounds off East Cape and from Cape Campbell to Pegasus Bay (MPI).

Size and bag limits

Minimum sizes, daily limits and closures depend on the area and change over time. Costaviva does not copy them: check MPI for each area.

Rāhui (temporary closures placed by tangata whenua) can apply at any time and are not in any dataset: respect local signs and notices.

How it is fished

Boat fishing
Spearfishing

Where it lives

Demersal, 10–250 m (shelf and upper slope).

Usual depth: 10–250 m (down to about 250 m).

Source: Fisheries New Zealand / MPI (CC BY 4.0).

When is tarakihi biting today?

Hour-by-hour fishing index and the best window of the day
Condition alerts and SOS with your location (dials 111 in New Zealand)
Fishing log with the conditions of every catch
Private groups to share spots and trips

No card needed. Then €3.99/month or €39.99/year, charged in euros.

Where to catch tarakihi

Northland

Auckland & Hauraki Gulf

Coromandel

Bay of Plenty

Gisborne & Hawke's Bay

Waikato west coast

Taranaki

Wellington & Wairarapa

Nelson & Marlborough

Canterbury

Otago

West Coast

All New Zealand species →