West Coast Whitebait Information

SUMMARY OF FISHING REGULATIONS Every person who sets or uses a Closed Areas · Crikey Creek (a tributary of the Haast River) whitebait net must remain within 10 No person shall fish or take whitebait from: · Nolans Creek (a tributary of the Okuru River) The Department of Conservation is responsible for metres of the net or of a licensed · The area of about 2.5 acres known as · Collyer Creek (a tributary of the Turnbull River) managing New Zealand’s whitebait fisheries. This can be structure on which a net is set. Fishing Kongahu Swamp located north of done more efficiently and effectively with the help and gear (other than a licensed structure) Granite Creek to the east of the main Penalties support of whitebait fishers. This is a summary of the must be removed from the water at the road approximately 6.5km south of Persons offending against these regulations may be fined whitebaiting regulations highlighting the main points, end of fishing or the end of the day, Karamea. up to $5000. and some of the issues affecting the fishery. whichever is the earlier. Protect plants and · Mahinapua Creek to the south side of the Note 1: This pamphlet relates only to the West Coast of Find out the animals Hokitika River; any tributary of the South Island. There are separate whitebait fishing regulations first Whitebait Stands General Mahinapua Creek; Lake Mahinapua and regulations for the rest of New Zealand for which a The licensing and administration of whitebait stands is Stay on established No person shall (among other things): Remove rubbish any stream running into the lake. separate pamphlet is available. the responsibility of the West Coast Regional Council tracks and use · Fish from any bridge; · The south bank of the Hokitika River Note 2: This information is a guide only, it has no legal existing facilities Bury toilet waste (PO Box 66, Greymouth). · Fish within 40m of a licensed structure from a point 500m downstream from the standing, nor does it contain all the rules. Please The Department of Conservation retains responsibility Take care of your that is being fished; Keep streams and state highway bridge to the sea. familiarise yourself with the Whitebait Fishing (West for ensuring compliance to the whitebait regulations as gear · Possess whitebait in conjunction with lakes clean · The area known as the Hapuka River Coast) Regulations 1994, Amendment No. 2 and they pertain to the use of stands. any whitebait net that is not permitted (including any tributary stream of the Amendment Regulations 2000. Copies of the regulations Remove rubbish Take care with fires to be used under the whitebait Hapuka River) that extends to the sea on can be purchased from the conservation office at WHITEBAIT BIOLOGY Dispose of toilet regulations whether or not that net is the south bank and to the Okuru Lagoon Hokitika. Camp carefully waste properly being used in fishing at the time; on the north bank. Whitebait catch consists primarily of the young of three · Discard or dump on shore any fish Keep to the track · Any tributary stream of the Waiatoto species: inanga (Galaxias maculatus), koaro (G. Fishing Season Be careful with chemicals taken when fishing for whitebait; River and the waters of the Waiatoto brevipinnis) and banded kokopu (G. fasciatus); inanga is Consider others The whitebait season for the West Coast of the South · Fish for or take whitebait from any area River above the mean high water mark. by far the most commonly caught species. Island is 1 September to 14 November inclusive. The Respect our cultural Giant kokopu (G. argenteus), short jawed kokopu (G. heritage that is not tidal, or that is upstream of Respect our · The north bank of the Cascade River taking of whitebait at other times is prohibited. Fishing is any back peg by the side of the rivers cultural heritage between a point 20m upstream from Old postvectis) and smelt (Retropinna retropinna) are also only permitted between 5am and 8pm OR between 6am Tkae only the food specified in the third schedule of the Man Creek to the sea. occasionally present along with the young of many other and 9pm when New Zealand “Daylight Saving” is being you need regulations. Rivers that have back pegs Enjoy your visit · Old Man Creek fish such as eels, bullies and trout. observed. All whitebait species spend part of their life cycle in Consider plants and are: Awarua, Hollyford, Smoothwater, Toitu te whenua · Barn Creek that enters the Cascade River animals Cascade, Arawhata, Waiatoto, Okuru, ( Leave the land and any tributary stream of Barn Creek. fresh water and part in the sea. Tiny fish hatch in late Fishing Gear Turnbull, Haast, Waita, Moeraki, undisturbed ) · The Awarua River above the Department autumn and are carried along rivers out to sea where “Fishing gear” includes all nets, screens, lines, devices or Consider other they live and grow over the winter. people Paringa, Mahitahi, Jacobs, Manakaiaua, of Conservation swing bridge. things that are used to take whitebait or are capable of Hunts, Karangarua, Omoeroa, · All rivers, streams and tributaries in In late winter and early spring whitebait migrate back up being used to take whitebait. Whitebait nets should not Waitangitaona, Whataroa, Poerua, Fiordland between Yates Point in the rivers and streams, finally settling and growing in bush have a mouth larger than 4.5metres measured on the Wanganui, Waitaha, Mikonui, Totara, north and Puysegur Point in the south. covered streams and swamps. The start of the migration inside of the net frame: have framing material that is Hokitika, Arahura, Houhou, Waimea, · Baker Creek (a tributary of the Karamea is thought to be influenced by river flows (i.e. shortly wider than 120mm: or be longer than 3.5m in length. No Serpentine, Taramakau, New River, River estuary) after floods) and phases of the moon. person can set or use more than one whitebait net at a Grey, Punakaiki, Pororari, Fox, Okari, · Blackwater Creek (to within 200m of the Mature inanga adults migrate downstream to lower river time. Only one net per whitebait stand or licensed Nile, Buller, Orowaiti, Mokihinui, Little tide gate at Kongahu Swamp). sections and estuaries to spawn in grasses covered by structure. Wanganui, Granite Creek, Karamea, · Bradshaws (Martins) Creek (a tributary of water during spring tides. The eggs remain in the grass No fishing gear should: Oparara, Kohaihai and Heaphy Rivers. the Buller River) until the next spring tide covers them again when the · Exceed more than one third of the water Unlawfully taken fish shall be · Bullock Creek (a tributary of the Pororari young hatch and are carried out to sea. The spawning channel width; immediately and carefully returned to the River) habits of other whitebait species are not well known. · Be used in conjunction with another person to waters from which they were taken. · All tributaries of the Punakaiki River exceed more than one third of the channel Nothing in these regulations permits any · Ounatai Lagoon (a tributary of the width; person fishing for whitebait to interfere Waitaha River) · Screens should not exceed three metres in with, alter or modify the natural bed or · Oneone Creek (a tributary of the length. banks of any river, stream, estuary or Wanganui River) channel. · Hikimutu Lagoon (a tributary of the Poerua River) m m PHYSICAL HABITATS WEST COAST TAI POUTINI m m m m m m 0 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4 6 Whitebait - - - - The five galaxiid species are found in many different - Z 5 5 I 0 0 CONSERVANCY CONTACTS 0 4 4 S 5 3 habitats from lowland swamps to rocky streams. Their 5 Information and fishing regulations presence appears to be closely tied to overhead cover and Buller Kawatiri Area

Russell Street n e r waterside vegetation. y a n k h l e e i Westport l w

e FOR THE Shortjawed kokopu and giant kokopu live in swampy and c r r m g y e

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heavily vegetated streams, often in pools over a mud s u s WEST COAST OF THE SOUTH ISLAND u a e q m l l r a a n g b bottom. Banded kokopu and koaro prefer fast flowing f p o ; ONLY , e i t l

Karamea Field Centre n t o h a a e n rocky bottomed streams with forest cover. Inanga are less s e r e p e h o c Main Road r , l m U f w i

“fussy” but are generally found in lower catchment u o n

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Ph 03 782 6852 i f t lm gm g w s w One of the major problems affecting the whitebait fishery CE is the destruction of habitat for egg laying or adult fish. As t f h t t t t o g n n n Punakaiki Visitor Centre n i e e e e o o o o whitebait adults tend to live in natural swamps and bush r are in bold. Size can vary and banded kokopu only be d e h h h h r r r r Inanga t t t t a f f f f

Main Road h s e t g g g g n n n n covered streams it is in the best interest of whitebaiters to e i i i i h n n n n g a s s s s

Punakaiki m o o o o t t t t l l l l i n s

ensure that adequate areas of these habitats remain. t a a a a n n n n t o has an interest in all species but information on the kokopu e l e e e e

Ph 03 731 1893 o d d d d a m m m m m p n n n The Department of Conservation has been active in n s a a a a g g g g d o i i i i s n n p n p n p n p k i i i identifying whitebait spawning habitat and arranging for i a T l l l l c f f f f e e e e n l l l l i a l l l Greymouth Mawheranui Area l n n a n a n a a N d f l i i i i a a a a l l l l its protection. Protection has involved seeking the co- r E s s s s l b m m m m l l l l a r r r r s s s s a a a a a 23 High Street s e M o o o o s r r r r w y y y y e r operation of landowners to have spawning areas fenced g d d d d r e r e r e r e r G Banded kokopu r d t t t t I o f f f f e e e e i Greymouth o a a a a a f l o v l o v l o v l o v s d l off from stock. The department sees the protection of PR whitebait spawning and habitat as playing a major role in Ph 03 768 0427 e e e g v v e e enhancing the viability of the fishery. s t r o o v v a n n h

Reefton Field Centre l b b i o o t e f a a Another major problem is barriers that stop young fish ; b b n l n y y a w a i l l i

67 Broadway Street a t t f o r y from getting to adult habitat. y l m c c l l l o e t t e e

o Koaro t Reefton a r r c c r b c s i Please note that whitebait are native fish and the giant i e e r e p d d s r r t s i o i p t Ph 03 732 8391 t r d d d d t n o and short jawed kokopu are under threat in many areas. o a i n t n n f n f a s n n e i o i l n Your assistance in keeping the whitebait fishery healthy n f f i i a n n n n f f e i i i i r l l n n l l Hokitika Area & l i i f f f a a o f f a a d not only benefits you, but the health of New Zealand’s m t l s l s l s s l l r r d c a a a r r o a a i West Coast Conservancy N e r o o I o o n n n n natural living systems. Don’t take more than you need. n p p d a d a a d m a a d Sewell Street FS r

n Giant kokopu Hokitika o i a d r