Image used for representation only.
WELLINGTON: The New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) has called on fishers and divers to be citizen scientists and share what they see on the water this summer as this can make a significant contribution to research through reporting sightings and accidental catches.
All photos, videos and reports help build a better understanding of New Zealand's rare and protected fishes, including rays and sharks, Clinton Duffy, DOC marine technical advisor, said on Monday.
Recreational fishers are encouraged to take a few photos, full length shots of any defining features like fins, jaws and teeth, and details of the color pattern, Duffy said.
"The exact location the fish was spotted or caught is useful too", he said.
Certain fish species are protected because they are naturally uncommon and therefore at greater risk of extinction than other fishes, Duffy said.
"Factors that make them naturally uncommon can include being slow to mature, which means they must survive a longer time before they can reproduce, or having a slow reproduction cycle or a low number of offspring," he added.
There are nine fish species that are protected in New Zealand; five sharks, two rays, and two groupers, according to the DOC.
While fishers are not allowed to target these species, it's not illegal to accidentally catch a protected fish, he said.
"If you do catch one, you must release it as quickly as possible and take care not to cause it further harm, and you must report the capture to DOC. If the fish dies or is found dead, DOC may request you bring it back to shore and provide it to DOC so samples can be taken to support research," Duffy said.
DOC has a set of protected species handling guide to assist recreational fishers to safely release marine life back to the water.
Spotting an uncommonly seen species would be an amazing fishing story to tell, he said, adding the basking shark, for example, has hardly been seen in New Zealand waters since the late 1990s.
