JACINTA – SOPHIE.

Inunga / Whitebait 

The most common Whitebait species in New Zealand is the common Galaxies or Inanga, they lay its eggs during spring tides in Autumn on the banks of a river amongst grasses that are flooded by the tide. The next spring tide causes the eggs to hatch which are then flushed down to the sea with the outgoing tide where they form part of the ocean's plankton mass. After six months the developed juveniles return to rivers and move upstream to live in freshwater. New Zealand whitebait are caught in the lower reaches of the rivers using small open-mouthed hand-held nets although in some parts of the country where Whitebait are more plentiful, larger (but not very large) set nets may be used adjacent to river banks. White baiters constantly attend the nets in order to lift them as soon as a shoal enters the net. Otherwise the whitebait quickly swim back out of the net. Typically, the small nets have a long pole attached so that the white baiter can stand on the river bank and scoop the net forward and out of the water when whitebait are seen to enter it….

In autumn, the adult fish make their way downstream to spawn in estuaries

Īnanga usually live for one year

Whitebait is a native fish that New Zealanders love to eat. Mokau River is one of the North Island best rivers to catch the delicacy. From the 15th of August to the 30 November local fishermen and woman line the river banks in expectation of a good catch

Jacinta & Sophie

New Zealand Long Fin Eel

The status of the long fin eel stocks are monitored.

There has been a limit to the use of fishery so that eel stocks improve over the medium term.

Eels can be caught by using an electric rod in the river which stuns them so you’re able to

catch them.

Jacinta & Sophie

Who uses the long fin eel? How are they caught?

Jacinta & Sophie

The Eel life cycle

Jacinta & Sophie

The Eel life cycle

One study found that males swam out to sea to breed at an average age of 23 years, and females at an average age of 34. They die after reproducing. At Lake Rotoiti near Nelson, some are over 100 years old.

Jacinta & Sophie

The Eel life cycle

One study found that males swam out to sea to breed at an average age of 23 years, and females at an average age of 34. They die after reproducing. At Lake Rotoiti near Nelson, some are over 100 years old.

Jacinta & Sophie

Fun facts about EelsEven though eels look like snakes they are a type of fish, and they are so long and thin that they can tie themselves in knots!!!