Whitebait season begins

14 August 2018

Whitebait season begins

The Department of Conservation (DOC) is asking whitebaiters to be responsible and follow the rules ahead of the start of the whitebait season tomorrow.

On mainland New Zealand the whitebaiting season runs from 15 August until 30 November except on the West Coast of the South Island, where it runs from 1 September to 14 November.

DOC freshwater scientist Jane Goodman says the whitebaiting regulations, which cover net type and size and permitted fishing times and locations, were first put in place in 1894 as a conservation measure to prevent overfishing and allow whitebait to move upstream to grow into adults.

Whitebait are the juveniles of five species of native fish that grow into adults ranging from 10-60 cm long. Four of the five species are categorised as either threatened or at risk.

The shortjaw kokopu is ‘threatened’, while the giant kōkopu, kōaro and inanga are ‘at risk-declining’. The banded kokopu is not threatened.

“Habitat degradation is one of the key causes of declining whitebait populations,” says Jane Goodman.

”We encourage people to get in behind local initiatives to restore spawning and adult whitebait habitat and to reduce their impact on our freshwater environment.”

This year DOC has worked with NIWA to develop and publish national fish passage guidelines for structures in waterways to prevent barriers to freshwater fish migration.

If people see overhanging culverts or other barriers that stop whitebait moving upstream, they are asked to please contact their local DOC or Regional Council office.”

DOC will be patrolling whitebaiting sites and talking to whitebaiters throughout the season to ensure people are complying with the regulations.

Illegal whitebaiting carries a maximum fine of $5000 and whitebaiting equipment can be seized.

Pamphlets with the regulations are at DOC offices, sporting shops and on DOC’s website: http://www.doc.govt.nz/whitebaiting

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