The pages below are a summary of the regulations. The full regulations are available on the New Zealand Legislation website .

Selling whitebait

It isn't illegal to sell whitebait. However, sellers need to:

DOC does not police these regulations.

Note: Facebook does not prohibit the sale of whitebait.

Stay safe

There are risks with whitebaiting. Take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of friends, family and yourself when carrying out recreational activities around waterways.

Check, Clean, Dry

To prevent the spread of freshwater pests always Check, Clean, Dry all boats and recreational equipment between waterways. See MPI's advice for cleaning your fishing equipment.

Read more about biosecurity.

Help prevent whitebait decline

Whitebait are in decline, but you can help.