Story: Whitebait and whitebaiting

West Coast whitebait catch, 1931–1973

West Coast whitebait catch, 1931–1973

Yearly records of whitebait catches have not been collected for most of New Zealand. What records there are, from the West Coast, were collected from 1931 to 1973. They reveal that yearly catches fluctuate greatly. The pattern of large catches in some years and small catches in others occurs throughout New Zealand. The cause of these variations has not been explained. The long-term trend on the West Coast shows no decline in total catch. While no data exists, it seems evident from anecdotal accounts that the overall catch in parts of New Zealand other than the West Coast has declined.

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Source: Robert M. McDowall, The New Zealand whitebait book. Wellington: Reed, 1984, p. 190

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How to cite this page:

Carl Walrond, 'Whitebait and whitebaiting - Whitebait in New Zealand', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/graph/11691/west-coast-whitebait-catch-1931-1973 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Carl Walrond, published 24 Sep 2007, reviewed & revised 23 Jun 2023