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New Zealand has a reputation among international anglers for its game fishing, with striped marlin and yellowtail kingfish leading the charge.
American angler and author Zane Grey was one of the first to sample the world-class fishery in the 1920s. His eloquent way with words mesmerised anglers worldwide with his tales of the new angling Eldorado, encouraging many to make the long sea voyage to sample the hot action for themselves.
Angling in our part of the world for many years was a two-trick pony – striped marlin and kingfish caught down under dominated the record books.
That is until Kiwi anglers discovered several tuna species on their doorstep that today round out our game fishing season.
New Zealand’s rich maritime heritage, coupled with its unique location straddling the Pacific Ocean and Tasman Sea, has made it a hotspot for big game fishing – none more so than the pursuit of the mighty bluefin tuna.
Southern and northern bluefin have become prime quarry during winter with anglers heading to the South Island’s northwestern waters before tracking the feeding schools to the eastern seaboard of the North Island to get the best southern bluefin action.
These are followed by the arrival of bigeye and yellowfin tuna in spring, nicely rounding out the fishing calendar.
It was a couple of commercial fishers who took to social media a couple of decades or so ago to report big numbers of bluefin tuna out from Waihau Bay. They shared not only the location of the fish but how to read the currents, water temperature and chlorophyll charts using modern technology available to them. At the peak of the season, Waihau Bay is turned from a sleepy coastal village closed up for winter into an angling hotspot that can see around 200 trailer boats launching on the one small ramp, not to mention the launches that come from the wider Bay of Plenty and beyond to give tuna a crack.
The earliest records of bluefin tuna in New Zealand waters date back to the mid-20th century, when commercial fishers and a handful of adventurous anglers began to report sporadic catches off the west coast of the South Island. However, it was not until the 1980s and 1990s that recreational fishing for bluefin tuna truly began to take off. Improvements in boating technology and navigation, coupled with growing awareness of bluefin seasonal migrations, allowed more anglers to venture further offshore in search of these elusive giants.
Seas off Greymouth, Hokitika and Fiordland quickly gained a reputation as a bluefin tuna hotspot. During winter months, schools of southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii) migrated close to the West Coast, offering recreational anglers rare opportunities to hook fish weighing upwards of 100 kilograms. These early trips were the stuff of legends, with camaraderie and adventure as much a part of the experience as the fishing itself.
The late 1990s and early 2000s saw a surge in interest, fuelled in part by stories of record-breaking catches and the increasing popularity of catch-and-release sport fishing. Charter operators began offering dedicated bluefin tuna trips, attracting both domestic and international anglers. The pursuit of bluefin became a test of skill, endurance and teamwork, with anglers battling some of the world’s most prized game fish in the challenging conditions of the Southern Ocean.
As recreational catches grew, so too did awareness of sustainability issues. Bluefin tuna populations worldwide have faced pressure from overfishing, leading New Zealand authorities to introduce monitoring and quota systems, even for recreational fishers.
Anglers and clubs have played an active role in bluefin research, tagging programmes and promoting responsible fishing practices. Today, many bluefin caught recreationally are released alive, ensuring future generations can experience the thrill of the chase.
Grant Dixon
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