Channel your inner scientist at the workplace to foster curiosity, build problem solving skills and directly impact the health of our oceans at the same time.

Spyfish Aotearoa lets you help marine conservation by identifying and counting fish in underwater videos from New Zealand's marine reserves. It's fun and teaches you to ID native fish. 

Why it matters

By joining Spyfish Aotearoa, your team helps protect New Zealand's marine ecosystems. While scientists focus on analysis and strategy, you can assist by identifying and tracking species. This supports the Department of Conservation's mission to preserve nature and engage communities. Every action counts, and together, we can make a lasting impact.

Get started

1. Go to the Spyfish Aotearoa website.
2. Select the marine reserve you want to study.
3. View the built-in tutorial to learn how it works. You can reopen the tutorial later by clicking the tutorial tab.
4. Click Field Guide to see species descriptions and other helpful information.

Let's get identifying

1. Play the video of underwater footage and pause when fish appear.
2. Use the guide to determine which species are visible.
3. Record the maximum number of each species seen at one time.
4. Log your observation submit them through the platform.

You're done. You'll be served up another clip to review and categorise.

Discuss tricky identifications with colleagues or use the ‘Talk’ tab for expert input.

Tips

• Use slow motion and zoom features to improve accuracy.
• Focus on clearly visible fish; label tiny or unclear ones as 'other'.
• Refer to the species catalogue for detailed comparisons.
• Share observations and insights with your team.