Whitebait – what happens to the ones that get away?

Whitebait are a mixture of the juvenile stage (teenagers) of īnanga/īnaka, banded kōkopu, giant kōkopu, kōaro/climbing kōkopu, shortjaw kōkopu and paraki/common smelt.

Īnanga/īnaka dominate, making up about 85% of the total whitebait catch. Kōaro and banded kōkopu each contribute 5-10%, while the remaining species are much rarer (less than 1%). This mix of species can vary around the country and at different times of the year.

Except for common smelt, these fish are all migratory galaxiids – named for the star-like patterns on their adult skin. They move between freshwater and the sea during their lives. In fact, whitebait are juveniles returning to freshwater from the sea.

Whitebaiting – a tasty treat for humans, birds and fish

Catching whitebait is a way of life for some fishers. They may be keen to eat, give away or sell this seasonal delicacy. Others simply enjoy being in nature and spending time with their friends and whanau. Fishing gear varies widely across the country, but are all designed with catching whitebait in mind.

Scoop netting on the Wairau River, Marlborough | Dirk de Vries, DOC
Check out the gulls eyeing-up any leftover whitebait scraps.

As whitebait travel inland through estuaries and rivers, they navigate other natural dangers waiting to strike. These tiny fish form a vital part of the foodweb, a tasty takeaway for seagulls, eels, kahawai and trout.

Tarāpunga/red-billed gull at nest with chicks | Rod Morris/rodmorris.co.nz

The endangered Australasian bittern/matuku-hūrepo relies heavily on adult īnanga as a food source.

Male Australasian bittern keeping an eye out for his next īanaga meal. Photo credit: Colin O’Donnell DOC.

Barriers to whitebait – between a rock and a hard place

It’s not just hungry humans and non-humans that stand in the way of these feisty fish reaching their adult upstream hang-outs. Constructed barriers in streams like culverts, weirs and pipes that are not well designed or maintained can stop whitebait making their way upstream. Some species like īnanga/īnaka find rising to this challenge difficult as they aren’t good climbers.

Culvert complications | Sjaan Bowie, DOC

” data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-11.png?fit=225%2C300&ssl=1″ data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-11.png?fit=450%2C600&ssl=1″ data-id=”58236″ src=”https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-11.png?resize=450%2C600&ssl=1″ alt=”Photograph of a high culvert within a vibrant green stream bank.” class=”wp-image-58236″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-11.png?w=450&ssl=1 450w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-11.png?resize=225%2C300&ssl=1 225w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-11.png?resize=300%2C400&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/blog.doc.govt.nz/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/image-11.png?resize=150%2C200&ssl=1 150w” sizes=”auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px”/>

Culvert complications | Sjaan Bowie, DOC

Another challenging culvert | Sjaan Bowie, DOC

Another challenging culvert | Sjaan Bowie, DOC

So, where do the adult ‘whitebait’ hang out?

Adult whitebait are found many different habitats across the country. Giant kōkopu and īnanga/īnaka tend to live in lowland rivers, streams and wetlands. Kōaro have the ability to ‘climb’ up waterfalls, so they can travel further inland and live in high mountainous, bouldery streams.

Freshwater fish habitat – where whitebait grow into adults and hang out until the next spring’s high tides | Sjaan Bowie

These fish are often secretive and can be hard to find. They tend to feed at night and hide during the day under logs, boulders, riverbanks and vegetation.

For the whitebait fishery and the whitebait species to thrive, all parts of their lifecycle—from ocean to stream—must be supported by healthy, connected habitats.

Want to help?

• Check for barriers: Are there culverts or weirs on the waterways you fish? Could they be modified into fish-friendly passages? Check out the Fish Passage Assessment Tool | Earth Sciences New Zealand | NIWA
• Restore habitats: Get involved in planting stream edges to create the environments adult fish need and trapping pests along the banks during peak spawning to protect eggs from being eaten.
• Learn more: Explore resources on freshwater fish, fish passage management, and whitebaiting regulations.

Further information

• Helping freshwater fish | Department of Conservation
• Managing fish passages | Department of Conservation
• Rites of fish passage | Conservation blog
• Whitebait: swimming against the flow | Conservation blog
• Freshwater fish | Department of Conservation
• Whitebaiting fishing regulations | Department of Conservation

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