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Common
New Zealand commercial fish species.
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Albacore
(ALB)
In New Zealand, albacore form the basis
of a summer troll fishery, primarily on
the west coasts of the North and South Islands.
This fishery accounts for a large proportion
of the albacore landings. Albacore are also
caught throughout the year by longline (1000–2500
t per year). Total annual landings over
the past 10 years have averaged 5422t (maximum
landing 6574 t in 2002-03).
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Alfonsino
(BYX)
Both species of Beryx occur throughout the
world's tropical and temperate waters, in
depths from 25 to 1200 m. In New Zealand
waters most "alfonsino" landings
are of alfonsino B. splendens and landings
of the red bream B. decadactylus account
for less than 1% of this catch. These species
are primarily associated with undersea structures
such as the seamounts that occur off the
lower east coast of the North Island and
on the Chatham Rise, in depths from 300-600
m.
Average size is 30-50 cm. Alfonsino have
a maximum recorded age of 17 years and females
grow faster than males.
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Bigeye
Tuna (BIG)
Bigeye tuna are epi-pelagic opportunistic
predators of fish, crustaceans and cephalopods
generally found within the upper few hundred
meters of the surface. Tagged bigeye tuna
have been shown to be capable of movements
of over 4000 nautical miles over periods
of one to several years. Juveniles and small
adults school near the surface in tropical
waters while adults tend to stay deeper.
Adult bigeye reach a maximum size of 210
kg and maximum length of 250 cm.
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Blue
Shark (BWS)
Blue shark are one of the most widespread
shark species in the world and, in New Zealand,
are likely to belong to a single, large,
wide-ranging stock probably comprising the
entire South Pacific, and possibly even
including the North Pacific and Indian Oceans.
Studies show that blue sharks grow fast
initially, reaching about 200 cm TL within
five years of birth. Age at maturity is
about 4–6 years for males and 5–7
years for females. The oldest blue shark
aged was 16 years, and a shark that was
151 cm TL at tagging.
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Cockles
(COC)
The cockle is a shallow-burrowing suspension
feeder of the family Veneridae. It is found
in soft mud to fine sand on protected beaches
and enclosed shores around the North and
South Islands, Stewart Island and the Chatham
Islands. Suspension feeders such as A.
stutchburyi tend to be more abundant
in sediments with a larger grain size.
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Dredge
Oysters (OYS)
Tiostrea chilensis is endemic to New
Zealand. This species is widely spread throughout
New Zealand usually as small beds on sandy
mud in harbours and bays. It is most abundant
in Foveaux Strait, from 25 - 50 m.
Average
shell length is 6-8 cm, reaching 10 cm.
It has been found that there was evidence
for strong seasonal variation in growth,
with mean growth over the winter was zero
or even slightly negative (the latter presumably
due to shell abrasion). Growth rates vary
between years and between areas. They recruit
to the legal-sized population (a legal-sized
oyster will not pass through a 58 mm diameter
ring, i.e., it must be at least 58 mm in
the smaller of the two dimensions of height
or length).
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Gemfish
(SKI)
Gemfish are widespread around New Zealand
occuring on the continental shelf and slope,
from about 50-550 m depth. Gemfish also occur
off southern Australia and Japan.
Average
size 60-90 cm, reaching 110cm. Both sexes
display similar growth rates until age 5,
but subsequently, females grow faster. The
maximum ages recorded for northern gemfish
was 17 years for both sexes and, for southern
gemfish, 17 for males and 15 for females.
In the northern fishery (SKI 1, SKI 2),
males and females appear to recruit into
the fishery from age 3 but are probably
not fully recruited until about age 5 (SKI
2) and age 7 or 8 (spawning fishery in SKI
1). In the southern fishery, gemfish start
to recruit at age 2 into spawning and non-spawning
fisheries but age at full recruitment was
difficult to determine.
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Hake
(HAK)
Hake are widely distributed through the middle
depths of the New Zealand EEZ mostly south
of latitude 40°S. Adults are mainly distributed
from 250-800 m though some have been found
as deep as 1200 m, while juveniles (0+) are
found in shallower inshore regions (< 250
m).
The
New Zealand hake reach a maximum age of
at least 25 years. Males, which rarely exceed
100 cm total length, do not grow as large
as females which can grow to 120 cm or more.
Both sexes reach sexual maturity between
6 and 10 years, at lengths of about 67-75
cm (males) and 75-85 cm (females).
Hakes
are voracious predators on a medium sized
fishes and squid.
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Hoki
(HOK)
Hoki are widely distributed throughout New
Zealand waters from 34° S to 54°
S, from depths of 10 m to over 900 m, with
greatest abundance between 200 and 600 m.
Large adult fish are generally found deeper
than 400 m, while juveniles are more abundant
in shallower water.
Hoki
spawn from late June to mid-September, releasing
multiple batches of eggs. The two main spawning
grounds on the WCSI and in Cook Strait are
considered to have separate stocks, based
on the geographical separation of these
spawning grounds and a number of other factors.
Hoki migrate to spawning grounds in Cook
Strait, WCSI and Puysegur areas in the winter
months. Throughout the rest of the year
the adults are dispersed around the edge
of the Stewart and Snares shelf, over large
areas of the Southern Plateau and Chatham
Rise, and to a lesser extent around the
North Island. Juvenile fish (2-4 yrs) are
found on the Chatham Rise throughout the
year.
Hoki
feed in midwater on small fish, crustaceans
and squid, but are prey to many deep water
species, particularly as juveniles.
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Kahawai
(KAH)
Kahawai are a schooling pelagic species belonging
to the family Arripididae. Kahawai are found
around the North Island, the South Island,
the Kermadec and Chatham Islands. They occur
mainly in coastal seas, harbours and estuaries
and will enter rivers. A second species, A.
xylabion, was described during 1993. It
is known to occur in the EEZ at the Kermadecs
and around Northland.
Average
size of adults is 40 - 50 cm, reaching 60
cm. (Paul 2000). The maximum-recorded age
of kahawai is 26 years. Kahawai spawn on
the seabed (60-100 m deep) in open water.
Spawning female kahawai occurred in January
and February 1993 in trawl bycatch in northern
New Zealand.
Kahawai
feed mainly on fishes but also on pelagic
crustaceans, especially krill (Nyctiphanes
australis). Kahawai smaller than 100
mm eat mainly copepods. Although kahawai
are principally pelagic feeders, they will
take food from the seabed.
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