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Understanding Taonga Freshwater Fish Populations in Aotearoa-New Zealand Prepared for Te Wai Māori Trust September 2017 Prepared by: Erica Williams Shannan Crow Ani Murchie Gail Tipa Eimear Egan Jane Kitson Sue Clearwater Mark Fenwick For any information regarding this report please contact: Erica Williams Programme Leader - Māori and the Freshwater Environment Te Kūwaha - Māori Environmental Research +64-4-386 0366 [email protected] National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd Private Bag 14901 Kilbirnie Wellington 6241 Phone +64 4 386 0300 NIWA CLIENT REPORT No: 2017326HN Report date: September 2017 NIWA Project: TOK17301 Quality Assurance Statement Reviewed by: Dr Phillip Jellyman Formatting checked by: Alison Bartley Approved for release by: Dr David Roper Cover photo credits: LEFT – (top to bottom) Grey mullet (Photo: NIWA), Stage II juvenile kōura (Source: Hopkins 1967), Kanakana with lamprey reddening syndrome (Photo: Jane Kitson); MIDDLE – Headwaters of the Rākaia River Photo: Shannan Crow); RIGHT – (top to bottom) Longfin eel (Photo: Stuart Mackay), Freshwater mussel (Photo: Ngaire Phillips), Black Flounder (Photo: Bob McDowall). © All rights reserved. This publication may not be reproduced or copied in any form without the permission of the copyright owner(s). Such permission is only to be given in accordance with the terms of the client’s contract with NIWA. This copyright extends to all forms of copying and any storage of material in any kind of information retrieval system. Whilst NIWA has used all reasonable endeavours to ensure that the information contained in this document is accurate, NIWA does not give any express or implied warranty as to the completeness of the information contained herein, or that it will be suitable for any purpose(s) other than those specifically contemplated during the Project or agreed by NIWA and the Client. Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................... 10 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................ 12 1.1 Te Wai Māori Trust ................................................................................................. 12 1.2 Report Scope ........................................................................................................... 12 2 Approach ................................................................................................................. 17 2.1 Distribution Maps ................................................................................................... 17 2.2 Trends in Relative Abundance ................................................................................ 18 2.3 Threat Status ........................................................................................................... 19 3 Tuna (Freshwater Eels) ............................................................................................. 21 3.1 Life Cycle ................................................................................................................. 21 3.2 Distribution ............................................................................................................. 26 3.3 State and Trends in Abundance .............................................................................. 28 3.4 Threat Rankings ...................................................................................................... 33 3.5 Pressures on Populations ........................................................................................ 33 3.6 Management........................................................................................................... 48 3.7 Aquaculture ............................................................................................................ 54 4 Piharau / Kanakana (Lamprey) ................................................................................. 57 4.1 Life Cycle ................................................................................................................. 57 4.2 Distribution ............................................................................................................. 61 4.3 State and Trends in Abundance .............................................................................. 61 4.4 Threat Ranking ........................................................................................................ 61 4.5 Pressures on Populations ........................................................................................ 63 4.6 Management........................................................................................................... 66 5 Kōura / Kēwai (Freshwater crayfish) ......................................................................... 67 5.1 Life Cycle ................................................................................................................. 68 5.2 Distribution ............................................................................................................. 70 5.3 State and Trends in Abundance .............................................................................. 72 5.4 Threat Rankings ...................................................................................................... 73 5.5 Pressures on Populations ........................................................................................ 73 5.6 Management........................................................................................................... 77 Understanding Taonga Freshwater Fish Populations in Aotearoa-New Zealand 3 5.7 Aquaculture ............................................................................................................ 77 6 Whitebait ................................................................................................................ 79 6.1 Life Cycle ................................................................................................................. 83 6.2 Distribution ............................................................................................................. 86 6.3 State and Trends in Abundance .............................................................................. 91 6.4 Threat Rankings ...................................................................................................... 93 6.5 Pressures on Populations ........................................................................................ 94 6.6 Management......................................................................................................... 100 6.7 Aquaculture .......................................................................................................... 103 7 Porohe (Smelt) ....................................................................................................... 105 7.1 Life Cycle ............................................................................................................... 106 7.2 Distribution ........................................................................................................... 106 7.3 State and Trends in Abundance ............................................................................ 108 7.4 Threat Rankings .................................................................................................... 108 7.5 Pressures on Populations ...................................................................................... 108 7.6 Management......................................................................................................... 111 8 Kanae (Mullet) ....................................................................................................... 112 8.1 Life Cycle ............................................................................................................... 113 8.2 Distribution ........................................................................................................... 114 8.3 State and Trends in Abundance ............................................................................ 114 8.4 Threat Rankings .................................................................................................... 116 8.5 Pressures on Populations ...................................................................................... 116 8.6 Management......................................................................................................... 120 9 Pātiki Mohoao (Black flounder) .............................................................................. 121 9.1 Life Cycle ............................................................................................................... 122 9.2 Distribution ........................................................................................................... 122 9.3 State and Trends in Abundance ............................................................................ 122 9.4 Threat Rankings .................................................................................................... 124 9.5 Pressures on Populations ...................................................................................... 124 9.6 Management......................................................................................................... 124 10 Kākahi / Kāeo (Freshwater mussels) ....................................................................... 126 10.1 Life Cycle ..............................................................................................................