Freshwater fish

In this section:

You can help native fish

How you can help native fish living near you

  • Protect streamside vegetation, fence off stream edges from stock and plant alongside streams to create a shady cool habitat.
  • Make sure that culverts and weirs in your stream are fish-friendly - native fish can't jump and need wet surfaces to wriggle their way upstream.
  • Think twice before killing an eel - after 25 years of growing, that big one could be just about ready to start its 1500km journey to breed.
  • Protect wetlands, particularly in lowland areas - they are often valuable native fish breeding grounds. Even fencing off whitebait spawning areas for a few months each year might be enough to help them.

To keep wet areas "mudfish friendly":

  • Retain riparian vegetation
  • Avoid drag-lining streams
  • Avoid introducing other fish, such as trout
  • Maintain water quality and quantity.

Find out more

Publications

New Zealand's native freshwater fish factsheet (PDF, 195K)
New Zealand large galaxiid recovery plan (PDF, 980K)
New Zealand non-migratory galaxiid fishes recovery plan (PDF, 162K)

Learn more

Find out about the biology of whitebait and whitebait identification

Journey Up the Creek A bilingual website for students follows a trip up the creek to show how fresh water supports life.

Freshwater board and card games

Contacts

DOC HOTline - 24 hour emergency number

Phone 0800 DOC HOTline (0800 362 468) to report:

Sick or injured wildlife
Whale or dolphin strandings

Conservation for prosperity. Tiakina te taiao, kia puawai