"Today's rules to protect tomorrow's catch" is the the message from Fisheries New Zealand as it kicks off a summer campaign to encourage fishers to know the rules before dropping a line at their favourite fishing spot.

MPI National Manager Fish Compliance, Niamh Murphy says with more people staying in New Zealand over the summer holidays because of Covid-19, fishery officers expect to see more people fishing from wharves, beaches and boats.

'A lot of people enjoy visiting coastal areas and being able to roll their sleeves up and catch some kaimoana is often a highlight.

"Many of us have great memories of fishing with our friends and whānau and we all want to help make sure that current and future generations have good fishing stories to tell.

'From time to time, rules do change, so the best advice is to download the free NZ Fishing Rules App. It'll give you all the latest rules about catch limits, fishing methods, and restrictions in your area so you never get caught out. It's easy to use and will work even if you are outside a coverage area.

'It's possible that some of the rules you relied on last year may have changed. Our advice is to check the rules or catch a fine,” Niamh Murphy says.

"Keep an eye out this summer for our advertisements on TV, digital and social media featuring our fish friends - Gary and Larry. We'll also be going where the fishers go, so you'll see our ads at wharves, fishing gear shops, coastal dairies and places where you get your weather and tide information for your day out fishing.

"We can all do our part in looking after our local fishery or fisheries we visit this summer by following the rules. To find out how, download the NZ Fishing Rules App wherever you get your apps from and protect our kaimoana for future generations," says Niamh Murphy.

If you become aware of any suspicious fishing activity, call us on 0800 4 POACHER (0800 47 62 24) or email ncc@mpi.govt.nz