Kahawai (Arripis trutta) is abundant throughout New Zealand and is an excellent sporting fish, readily taking a spinner and invariably putting up a good fight. Like the kingfish, the flesh, which is rather dry and tasteless fresh, is improved with canning. Large schools of kahawai are often seen in northern waters, usually indicated by screaming, dipping, and diving flocks of terns, both of which are taking their individual toll of small schooling fish. The kahawai is greenish-grey to silvery below, and spotted with brown.

by Arthur William Baden Powell, Assistant Director, Auckland Institute and Museum.