The whitebait season is open and runs until November 30, a full three months, amid warnings that four of the five whitebait species are in decline.

'Whitebait is the young of native fish, swimming upstream once a year, and we are losing more of them every year,” says Department of Conservation biodiversity programme manager Chris Clark.

'Four of the five main whitebait species are now classified as in decline, including inanga, the most commonly caught species.”

DOC manages the fishery and is promoting measures to sustain whitebait populations through habitat protection, maintaining fish passage and getting whitebaiters to follow the legal whitebait fishing regulations.

'Whitebaiters must ensure they know the Whitebait Fishing Regulations and comply with them. This includes maximum net sizes, not fishing near bridges or culverts and restrictions on fishing hours,” says Chris.

The decline in whitebait species is mostly due to a lack of clean healthy rivers, streams and wetlands for adult native fish. Planting and fencing stream edges can improve their habitat.

'We encourage keen whitebaiters to assist with whitebait habitat protection to help maintain healthy fish populations, so the Kiwi tradition of whitebaiting can be enjoyed into the future,” says Chris.

'Protection of stream habitats by fencing out stock and planting up with native trees are worthwhile projects to get involved with.”

DOC rangers will be patrolling waterways to check whitebaiters are sticking to the regulations, but if people see anyone breaking the rules they are asked to report it to DOC on 0800 362 468.