The North East region is important for commercial fishing. With multiple ports and an international airport, Auckland provides prime exporting opportunities for the commercial fish and shellfish species caught in the region and elsewhere. Popular landing sites are at Mangonui, Whangarei, Leigh, Auckland, and Tauranga.
The region is a significant fishing ground for a number of commercial species. These include snapper, John dory, tarakihi, gurnard and trevally. In east Northland and the Hauraki Gulf, these species are mostly fished by long-line and Danish seine/trawl while in the Bay of Plenty, fishing for these species is mostly done by trawl.
Other fisheries include purse seining for mackerels, kahawai and skipjack tuna (mostly in the Bay of Plenty) as well as surface long-lining for tunas and swordfish, and lining for bluenose and hapuku/bass. The region also has significant fisheries for scallops and rock lobster, and minor fisheries for flatfish and grey mullet.
