A man's body was recovered from the water off Kaitorete Spit, south of Banks Peninsula this afternoon.
Police were told a man had fallen from a fishing boat about 9 kilometres off shore from the Spit.
There were two people on board the boat.
The Canterbury Westpac Rescue Helicopter recovered the man's body from the water this afternoon.
Police are in the process of notifying the family and said the case would be transferred to the coroner.