The Area 2 finfish fishery includes finfish species caught in the inshore area of Fisheries Management Area (FMA) 2. The inshore finfish fishery in Area 2 is a shared fishery, used by customary, recreational and commercial fishers.

The finfish species caught in Area 2 all have a high value to customary fishers, however taonga finfish species include blue moki, butterfish, blue warehou, rig, kahawai, hapuku/bass and tarakihi.

Area 2 provides important recreational boat and line fisheries for red gurnard, tarakihi, snapper, kingfish, kahawai, hapuku/bass and trevally. There are also small set net fisheries for butterfish, blue moki and kahawai.

Commercial fishers take the majority of the finfish catch in Area 2, by mid-water and bottom trawling, bottom long-lining and set netting methods. Commercial fishers in Area 2 target single stocks or aggregations of stocks depending on the season, area and their ACE or quota portfolios.