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Story: Te hopu tuna – eeling

Utu piharau (lamprey weir)

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Utu piharau (lamprey weir)

This utu piharau (lamprey weir) is on the banks of the Whanganui River, shown here in the late 1800s. Lamprey weirs were built around March, before winter rains swelled the river.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: 1/1-000483-G

by William James Harding

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Basil Keane, Te hopu tuna – eeling – Catching piharau – lampreys, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/13987/utu-piharau-lamprey-weir (accessed 11 June 2026).

Story by Basil Keane, published 2 March 2009.