Sea fishing

Sea fishing in Canterbury

30 wharves, 4 boat ramps and 336 places where a legal road or public land reaches the shore. Open any of them for whether today’s swell and wind reach it, and the tides.

ChristchurchRakaiaGreta ValleyHanmerOtematataRangitataTwizelAkaroaGreymouthTimaru
shore wharf boat ramp no fishing hereOpen the full map →Map: LINZ aerial imagery (LINZ Basemaps), CC BY 4.0

Fish common here: kahawai, red gurnard, blue cod, tarakihi.

All sea fishing · See them on the map · MPI rules for this area

Where not to fish, or where local rules apply

  • Pōhatu Marine Reserve marine reserve: no fishing of any kind. Details
  • Akaroa Marine Reserve marine reserve: no fishing of any kind. Details
  • Akaroa Harbour Taiapure taiāpure: local regulations may apply. Details
  • Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupo Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Koukourarata Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Rapaki Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Te Ahi Tarakihi Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupo Mataitai Extension mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupo Mataitai Bylaw (Livingstone Bay to Godley Head) mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Lyttelton Harbour/Whakaraupo Mataitai Bylaw (Gollans Bay) mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Te Kaio Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Orari Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Waitarakao Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Tuhawaiki Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Waihao Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details
  • Opihi Mataitai mātaitai reserve: local bylaws may apply. Details

8 places inside or beside a marine reserve or high protection area are left out of the lists below.

Places to fish

North to south. Wharves are the easiest start: deep water and flat footing. On rocks, wear a lifejacket and read the rock fishing advice.

  • Conway Flat, Conway Flat RoadMap
    Shore
  • Shore accessMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Shore accessMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Shore accessMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Shore accessMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Shore accessMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Shore accessMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Shore accessMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Gore BayMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Gore BayMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Gore Bay, Moody StreetMap
    Shore
  • The CathedralsMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Port RobinsonMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Point GibsonMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Point GibsonMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Te Puna-a-Taipuhi, Napenape RoadMap
    Shore
  • Napenape, Napenape RoadMap
    Shore
  • Napenape, Napenape RoadMap
    Shore
  • Sail RockMap
    Shore, by an unformed road
  • Sail RockMap
    Shore, by an unformed road

Places from 2026-10-05. Shore, wharves, boat ramps, roads, parcels, place names and tide predictions: Toitū Te Whenua LINZ, CC BY 4.0. Unformed legal roads: Herenga ā Nuku Aotearoa, CC BY 3.0 NZ. Marine reserves and Hauraki Gulf protection areas: DOC, CC BY 4.0. Mātaitai, taiāpure and closures: MPI. Wind: MET Norway, CC BY 4.0. Waves: NOAA WAVEWATCH III via PacIOOS.