The Complete Guide to Butterfish Nets in New Zealand — Greenbone Fishing

Everything you need to know about catching butterfish (greenbone/marari) in New Zealand — best nets, mesh sizes, where to fish, and MPI rules.

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About New Zealand Butterfish

Butterfish (Odax pullus), also known as greenbone or marari in te reo Māori, are one of New Zealand's most unique and prized eating fish. They're endemic to New Zealand — you won't find them anywhere else in the world.

Butterfish get their common name from their rich, buttery-tasting flesh. The name "greenbone" comes from their distinctive green-coloured bones and skeleton — a surprise for anyone filleting one for the first time!

Key Facts

• Size: Commonly 30–45cm, up to 55cm and 2.5kg
• Habitat: Rocky reefs and kelp forests, from the intertidal zone down to about 40m depth
• Distribution: Found right around New Zealand, from North Cape to the Snares Islands, including the Chatham Islands. More common from Cook Strait southwards.
• Diet: Herbivorous — they graze on seaweed and kelp, which gives the flesh its distinctive rich flavour
• Behaviour: Solitary or in small groups among kelp forests. They shelter in the kelp canopy and are territorial around their feeding areas.
• Colour: Adults are dark olive-green to brown, often with blue-green tones. Juveniles are more reddish-brown.

Why Net Fishing for Butterfish?

Butterfish live in and around kelp forests on rocky reefs — exactly the kind of environment that makes rod fishing difficult. Set nets are the traditional and most effective way to target butterfish. The net is set along the edge of a reef or kelp bed, and butterfish swim into it as they move between feeding areas.

The key to successful butterfish netting is placing your net in the right spot — right on the edge where kelp meets sand or gravel, where butterfish travel between kelp beds.

Choosing the Right Butterfish Net

We carry four purpose-built butterfish nets plus unslung mesh for DIY net makers. Here's what's available:

1. Bronze Mesh Butterfish Net — 108mm (4¼")

NZ Butterfish Nets — Bronze Mesh

Our most popular butterfish net. The bronze-coloured mesh is specifically chosen to match the colour of the kelp weed that butterfish inhabit. This makes the net almost invisible in the kelp — butterfish can't see it coming.

• Mesh: 108mm (4¼ inch), 0.50mm mono
• Depth: 25 meshes deep
• Lengths: 20m ($145), 30m ($215), 40m ($285), 60m ($425), 100m ($630)
• Colour: Bronze — blends with kelp forests
• Best for: Kelp-heavy reefs, rocky coastline, murky water

2. Clear Mesh Butterfish Net — 108mm (4¼")

Butterfish Net — Clear Mesh

Same 108mm mesh as the bronze version but in clear monofilament. Clear mesh works best in clearer water where the transparency makes the net virtually invisible.

• Mesh: 108mm (4¼ inch), 0.50mm mono
• Depth: 25 meshes deep
• Lengths: 20m ($138), 30m ($205), 40m ($272), 60m ($400)
• Colour: Clear — best for clear water
• Best for: Clear water, open reef edges, less kelp cover

3. Black Snapper Net — 120mm (4¾")

Black Snapper Net 4¾ inch

A slightly larger mesh (120mm) that targets bigger butterfish plus a wide range of other species. This is the multi-species option — legal for blue cod, blue moki, butterfish, flatfish, kahawai, kingfish, grey mullet, parore, porae, red cod, red gurnard, red moki, red snapper, sand flounder, snapper, tarakihi, and trevally.

• Mesh: 120mm (4¾ inch), 0.50mm mono
• Depth: 25 meshes deep
• Lengths: 20m ($138), 30m ($205), 40m ($272), 60m ($400)
• Lead core rope, made for NZ conditions
• Best for: Targeting butterfish alongside other reef species

4. Kahawai/Black Snapper Net — 114mm (4½")

Kahawai Black Snapper Net 4½ inch

At 114mm, this sits between the dedicated butterfish mesh (108mm) and the larger black snapper mesh (120mm). A great all-rounder for butterfish, kahawai, and snapper in the same set.

• Mesh: 114mm (4½ inch)
• Depth: 25 meshes deep
• Lengths: 20m ($138), 30m ($205), 40m ($272), 60m ($400)
• Best for: Mixed reef fishing — butterfish, kahawai, snapper

DIY — Unslung Butterfish Mesh

If you prefer to make your own nets, we stock unslung butterfish mesh in 108mm, 114mm, and 120mm — available in both clear and bronze, in 120m and 180m rolls. Rig your own float lines and lead lines to suit your conditions.

Bronze vs Clear Mesh — Which to Choose?

Where to Catch Butterfish

Butterfish are found all around New Zealand but are most common from Cook Strait southwards. They live on rocky reefs with kelp forest, so look for coastline with exposed rocky reef, kelp beds, and moderate wave action.

Top Butterfish Spots

• Marlborough Sounds — Sheltered rocky reefs with abundant kelp. Some of the best butterfish habitat in NZ.
• Wellington south coast — Exposed rocky coastline, excellent kelp forests. Island Bay, Makara, Sinclair Head.
• Kaikōura — Rocky reefs with diverse kelp species. Good numbers of quality butterfish.
• West Coast, South Island — Remote and productive. Less fishing pressure means bigger fish.
• Fiordland — World-class butterfish habitat in the fiords' rocky shorelines.
• Stewart Island — Excellent butterfish territory with extensive kelp forests.
• Chatham Islands — Remote but productive butterfish grounds.
• North Island — Less common, but found around exposed rocky coastlines. East Cape, Wairarapa coast, Taranaki.

Setting Your Net

1. Find the kelp edge. The transition between kelp forest and open sand/gravel is where butterfish travel. Set your net along this edge.
2. Reef margins. The outer edge of a rocky reef, where it drops into deeper water, is another prime spot.
3. Channels between reefs. Butterfish move between kelp beds — set your net across these natural pathways.
4. Depth: Butterfish are found from the intertidal zone to about 40m, but most netting is done in 2–15m of water.
5. Time: Set nets in the afternoon and retrieve in the morning, or vice versa. Butterfish are active throughout the day and night.

MPI Rules for Butterfish

Always check the latest rules for your specific area at mpi.govt.nz before you go.

• Minimum size: 35cm in most areas
• Daily limit: Varies by area — typically 10–20 per person per day
• Net mesh: Minimum 100mm stretched mesh for set nets targeting butterfish. Our 108mm, 114mm, and 120mm nets are all above the legal minimum.
• Set net rules: Must be checked and cleared at least once every 24 hours. Must be marked with your name and contact details. Must have a float at each end.
• Dolphin protection zones: Set net restrictions apply in some areas — particularly the west coast and around Banks Peninsula. Check your area.

Important: Rules vary between fisheries management areas. Always check the MPI fishing rules for your specific location.

Butterfish on the Plate

Butterfish is one of New Zealand's finest eating fish. The flesh is rich, white, and buttery — and those distinctive green bones are completely harmless (just a natural pigment from their seaweed diet).

• Pan-fried in butter — the classic and arguably the best way
• Smoked — the rich flesh takes on smoke beautifully
• Baked whole — with lemon, herbs, and a splash of white wine
• Sashimi — very fresh butterfish makes excellent sashimi

Ready to Get Started?

👉 Shop our NZ butterfish nets →

Available in bronze and clear mesh, 20m to 100m lengths. Made in Auckland, shipped NZ-wide.

Need a custom length or specific setup? Contact us — we make nets to order.

Action Outdoors — New Zealand's largest fishing net manufacturer. Made in Auckland. 🎣

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Always check the latest fishing rules at mpi.govt.nz before heading out.