Lee Breakwater Fishing: Ngāmotu Beach and Port Taranaki

Last updated October 2026

The Lee Breakwater is the public breakwater on the eastern side of Port Taranaki in New Plymouth, beside the free public boat ramp at Breakwater Bay and a short walk from Ngāmotu Beach. Port Taranaki itself says the Lee Breakwater and the Coastal Walkway are great for fishing.

The port’s wharves and the Main Breakwater are a restricted area closed to the public, so this is the spot to fish at the port. Its outer end borders the Ngā Motu/Sugar Loaf Islands Marine Protected Area, which has its own rules on hooks and nets.

At a Glance

Location

Eastern end of Ocean View Parade, Port Taranaki, New Plymouth

Water

Port Taranaki and the open Tasman coast (sea)

Main species

Mixed reef and harbour fish; ask locally for what is biting

Parking

Free at Ngāmotu Beach and Ocean View Parade; pay-by-plate by the boat ramp, 5am to 5pm

Boat ramp

Port-owned, free to the public

Dogs

On a leash on the breakwater; not allowed on Ngāmotu Beach and reserve

Not public

The port’s wharves and Main Breakwater (Restricted Operations Area)

Tide port

Port Taranaki (LINZ standard port)

Rules

MPI Central; Sugar Loaf Islands area rules at the outer end

Licence

None needed for sea fishing

What to Expect

From above, the Lee Breakwater is a long, straight wall of rock armour running north-west out from the shore at the eastern end of the port, with a walkway along the top. On its sheltered inner side are the boat ramp and jetty and the moored boats of Breakwater Bay; the outer side faces the open sea.

Ngāmotu Beach is the sheltered beach inside the port, protected by the breakwaters, with picnic tables, a playground and plenty of free parking. It is popular for swimming and water sports, so fish the breakwater rather than the beach on busy days.

The navigation light at the end of the Lee Breakwater marks a boundary point of the Ngā Motu/Sugar Loaf Islands Marine Protected Area, which covers 749 hectares around the islands off New Plymouth.

DOC records at least 89 fish species in the protected area, and the islands themselves, home to a fur seal breeding colony, can only be visited with a permit.

How to Fish the Lee Breakwater

Where and when

Fish from the walkway along the breakwater, choosing the sheltered inner side when the sea is up. Keep clear of the boat ramp, the jetty and the marked boat lane, where boats come and go in the 5-knot zone. Moving water around the tide changes usually fishes better than slack water, and dawn and dusk are good times.

What to catch and what to use

• Around the rocks: divers report john dory, cod and kingfish around the breakwater, so a bait fished close to the armour rock or a lure worked along the wall can pay off.
• Local advice: Hunting & Fishing Taranaki is on Ocean View Parade, a short walk away. Ask there what has been caught off the breakwater recently and which rigs and baits are working.
• Rigs: inside the Sugar Loaf Islands area you may not use more than 3 hooks on a line, so keep ledger and flasher rigs to three hooks or fewer.

What to bring

Shoes with good grip for the rocks, a long-handled landing net or drop net, and a light for the walk back if you fish into the evening.

Getting There and Facilities

• Parking: about 240 free car parks at Ngāmotu Beach, along Ocean View Parade and in the Lee Breakwater car park, with more on the eastern reclamation at busy times. Casual parking at Breakwater Bay is pay-by-plate, $1 an hour from 5am to 5pm, up to $10 a day.
• Boat ramp: owned by Port Taranaki and free to use. Boat trailers need a pay-by-plate permit, bought at the machines.
• Café: the Bach on Breakwater is next to the car park.
• Dogs: on a leash for the length of the Lee Breakwater and along the Coastal Walkway east of the port. Dogs are not allowed on Ngāmotu Beach and its reserve.
• More: for swimming and the playground, see our Ngāmotu Beach guide.

Rules and Safety

• Sea fishing here follows MPI’s Central area rules. No licence is needed.
• The outer end of the Lee Breakwater borders the Ngā Motu/Sugar Loaf Islands area. Inside it, no nets or set lines may be used and no line may carry more than 3 hooks.
• Tapuae Marine Reserve, where all fishing is banned, lies further south-west beyond Paritutu, not at the breakwater.
• The port’s wharves, the Main Breakwater and the fenced operational areas are a Restricted Operations Area. The public may not enter.
• The 5-knot limit applies near the Lee Breakwater and along Ngāmotu Beach. Watch for boat wash on the inner side.
• Check MPI’s shellfish biotoxin alerts before gathering shellfish, and get swell and wind forecasts from MetService or the port before fishing the outer side.

Tackle and Bait Nearby

• Hunting & Fishing Taranaki, Ocean View Parade, New Plymouth: walking distance from the breakwater.
• Hunting & Fishing Taranaki Valley, 2/20 Rifle Range Road, Waiwhakaiho, New Plymouth.

Official Sources

Lee Breakwater: Common Questions

Can you fish off the Lee Breakwater?
Yes. It is public, and Port Taranaki describes the Lee Breakwater and Coastal Walkway as great for fishing.

Can I fish from the port wharves or the Main Breakwater?
No. They are inside the port’s Restricted Operations Area, which is closed to the public.

Are there special rules at the end of the breakwater?
Yes. The outer end borders the Sugar Loaf Islands area, where nets and set lines are banned and no line may carry more than 3 hooks.

Is parking free?
There are about 240 free parks at Ngāmotu Beach and on Ocean View Parade. Parking by the boat ramp is pay-by-plate from 5am to 5pm.

Can I launch a boat here?
Yes. The boat ramp at Breakwater Bay is owned by the port and free to use; trailers need a pay-by-plate permit.

Can I bring my dog?
Yes, on a leash on the breakwater. Dogs are not allowed on Ngāmotu Beach.

Do I need a fishing licence?
No. You do not need a licence for sea fishing, but MPI’s Central area limits apply.

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