Skip to main content

Story: Te hopu tuna – eeling

Korotete (eel cage)

Korotete (eel cage)

Live eels were sometimes caught and kept in an eel cage. They were stored in running water and fed with potatoes and other food until needed.

Using this item

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa

Reference: I.005554

Permission of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Basil Keane, Te hopu tuna – eeling – Cooking, preserving and storing eels, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/13990/korotete-eel-cage (accessed 5 June 2026).

Story by Basil Keane, published 2 March 2009.