Story: Estuaries

Whitebaiting, Waikanae

Whitebaiting, Waikanae

Using nets, fishermen try to catch the tiny and elusive delicacy whitebait (īnanga), which are migrating from the sea to fresh water. In spring, whitebait swim into estuaries, sometimes in shoals, but often as solitary animals. Those that manage to avoid the whitebaiters’ nets swim upstream to feed and grow to adulthood.

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Photograph by Simon Nathan

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How to cite this page:

Maggy Wassilieff, 'Estuaries - Larger animals of the estuary', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/4637/whitebaiting-waikanae (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 12 Jun 2006