The region supports significantly important inshore commercial fisheries.

 

One of the region’s high-profile inshore fisheries is the Challenger dredge fishery for scallops – covering Tasman and Golden Bays, and the Marlborough Sounds. There is also a small dredge fishery here for oysters.

 

In late summer, many inshore vessels head to the West Coast for a few months to troll for (mainly) albacore tuna. During the rest of the year, most of these vessels work in various trawl and dredge fisheries.

 

Inshore trawlers in Tasman/Marlborough target a mixture of flatfish, gurnard, snapper, John dory, red cod and tarakihi. Inshore trawlers on the West Coast also catch most of these species, as well as some warehou, stargazer and barracouta.

 

Other inshore fisheries include a significant set net fishery for rig and school shark across most of the Challenger region; and a significant paua fishery in the Marlborough Sounds. Small fisheries exist in the outer Marlborough area for, blue cod (potting), and häpuka/bass (line fishery).