Tarakihi

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Best Fish Guide: Tarakihi

 Ranking: D (Amber - Concerns)

What's this? 

Description: Tarakihi is a long-lived relative of red moki that is common around New Zealand, but mostly found south of East Cape and around the South Island. They are associated with shallow reefs as juveniles but then school over open seafloors as adults from 50 to 250m water depth.

Ecological concerns: Tarakihi is caught by trawling, so there is some concern about habitat damage if trawl gear touches the seafloor. Trawling also catches a range of other fish. Other concerns include the limited amount of some basic biological information, the absence of quantitative stock assessments, the uncertainty over stock boundaries and the lack of a management plan for Tarakihi.

Economic value: Tarakihi are sold in New Zealand, Japan and Australia and had an export value of $0.5 million in 2008.

Best option: Try to avoid Tarakihi caught in association with red cod off the East coast of the South Island or caught in association with gemfish.

ASSESSMENT OUTPUT

Biology and risk of overfishing (score C)
Status and sustainability of fish catches (score C)
Impact of fishing method and protected, threatened and endangered species captures (score E and D)
Management and management unit (score C and B)

 

For a full ecological assessment, click here