Whitebait

Scientific name:	Galaxias maculatus, Galaxias brevipinnis, Galaxias fasciatus, Galaxias argenteus, Galaxias postvectis, Retropinna retropinna
Other names:	inanga, koaro, banded kokopu, giant kokopu, short jawed kokopu, smelt

Best or alternative choice

All commercially caught whitebait in New Zealand was ranked red, worst choice fish and should be avoided. There are no alternatives.

Whitebait fishery is made up of juveniles of five galaxiid species (inanga, koaro, banded kokopu, giant kokopu, short jawed kokopu) and smelt. The mixture of species changes around New Zealand – the main species is inanga but koaro and banded kokopu are a significant part of the catch on the West Coast. The fish are caught as they migrate upstream from the sea. The West Coast, Southland and Taranaki have the main commercial fisheries. Unlike any other commercial fishery, whitebait is managed by the Department of Conservation not the Ministry for Primary Industries.

Ecological concerns

Whitebait species are caught with scoop or box nets which have minor impacts on freshwater habitat and benthos. The fishery today has less information on it than it did in the 1980s. Whitebait species are being commercially harvested under a system which has no catch reporting or monitoring requirements. There is little information on the mix of species caught, how this is changing and how it compares around the country. Overall concerns are the absence of a monitoring scheme, regular fisheries assessment, or reporting system for the commercial fishery. The nearest assessment is the threatened species assessment process, which has identified that four out of the five species being caught are endangered. Short jawed kokopu is listed as nationally vulnerable by DOC and is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. Giant kokopu is listed as ‘at risk declining’ by DOC, and as a vulnerable threatened species by IUCN. Giant kokopu is also a freshwater taonga species under the Ngai Tahu Claims Settlement Act.

Certification

Not certified under any scheme.

Economic value

Main market is New Zealand with exports to Australia (over 80%) of $78,700 in 2015. Other markets include Niue, Cook Islands, and Hong Kong.

Asssessment output

Regional and or fishing method differences

Regional differences were assessed, comparing different whitebait fisheries based on information available on habitat loss and catch mixture. All regions resulted in a red rating, worst choice seafood which should be avoided.

Status of seafood stocks - sustainability of catches

Score:	All regions – E
Population size:	Unknown for all species.
Annual catch limit:	No catch limits for any area. The West Coast represents the largest commercial fishery.
Recorded catch:	No landing reporting system. It has been estimated that about 95% of the catch outside of the West Coast was inanga.
Stock trends:	Stock trends are not monitored.
MSY Status:	Unknown.
*The Ministry of Primary Industries assessment plenary report includes:*	Not covered by the Ministry for Primary Industries assessment system.

Biological characteristics - risk of overfishing and ability to recover

Score:	All regions – B
Distribution:	Widely dispersed in New Zealand.
Maximum age (years):
Age at sexual maturity:
Growth rate:
Reproductive output:
Age exploited:
Ability to recover:

Fishing method impacts including non-threatened species bycatch & habitat damage

Score:	All regions – A
Fishing method(s):	Use of scoop nets, box nets and ring nets.
Habitat damage:	Impact of net placement only with box nets.
Habitat of particular significance:
Bycatch:	Other fish species caught in nets including freshwater eels.
Ecological effects:	The ecological effects of fishing are uncertain, but likely to be much less than the impact of land drainage and barriers (e.g. dams) on whitebait habitat. Cumulatively, overfishing and habitat loss (including dams and drains preventing whitebait movement) are removing this important set of species from New Zealand’s increasingly degraded freshwater systems.

Protected species or threatened species bycatch

Score:	All regions – E
Bycatch:	Bycatch includes eels and other freshwater fish (threatened whitebait species).

Unit of seafood stock arrangement

Score:	All regions – E
Management component:	Five species are managed together. It is uncertain what would constitute a stock for each of these species.

Effectiveness of management, monitoring, & research

Score:	All regions – E
Quota Management Species:	No. Managed by the Department of Conservation.
Catch limits:	No catch limits for any species and there is no reporting scheme.
Management plan:	No freshwater management plan under the Conservation Act.
Stock assessment:	No stock assessments for any areas.
Research:	Research is focused on habitat conservation and not on managing the fishery.
Observer coverage:	No observation scheme.

Fisheries map

Taken from the Ministry for Primary Industries’ Plenary report for fisheries management.

References

Paste here.