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West Coast of
South Island
Map ID number:
5
Location: Kahurangi Point to
Cascade Point
Approximate area: 5,167km 2
Fiordland
Map ID number:
6
Location: Southwest New
Zealand
Approximate area: 7,214km 2
Description of area:
The west coast of the South Island is a highenergy
shore with scouring by sand and cobbles,
and high turbidity.
Biological attributes:
This area has low fish biomass and
diversity. It is habitat for the giant triplefin
(Blennodon dorsale), which is rare in other
regions. A possibly endemic clingfish lives
on this coast. The west coast has always
had the biggest New Zealand whitebait
(Galaxias maculatus) fishery, which has
national importance, especially in the
south. It also features large offshore winter
spawning aggregations of hoki (Macruronus
novaezelandiae).
Criteria for inclusion:
Endemism; representation (i.e. across
physical types); cultural values; extremities
of range and adaptation to environment;
degree of disturbance;
special conditions and
specialised organisms;
seasonal/migratory
Description of area:
Fiordland has deeply
indented fiords with a
surface freshwater layer that creates “estuarine”
circulation. The fiords have deep inner
basins protected by shallow sills near the
entrances that isolate the fiords from each
other and from the open sea.
Biological attributes:
Fiordland has fish assemblages typical of
southern New Zealand but with “deepwater
emergent” species: some deepwater species
live at shallower depths than in other regions.
The strong environmental gradients generate
marked longitudinal and depth patterns
in fish assemblages and abundance. Pelagic
species, such as albacore tuna (Thunnus
alalunga), butterfly tuna (Gasterochisma
melampus), thresher sharks (Alopias vulpinus),
and blue sharks (Prionace glauca)
occur inside fiords. It is unusual to find these
species in enclosed waters. There is limited
recruitment in the waters of Fiordland, and
limited exchange of recruits among fiords
because of the water circulation patterns. The
only fish known to be endemic to the fiords
is the brotula, Fiordichthys slartibartfasti.
Criteria for inclusion:
Species richness; endemism; trophic/functional
diversity; representation (i.e. across
physical types); extremities of range and
importance; unusual degree/proportion of
biomass; aggregations.
Status and management:
The pre-eminence of the whitebait fishery
has probably been accentuated historically
by the fact that the this coast remains
relatively well covered by indigenous forest
and has suffered less wetland damage than
other areas of New Zealand. Major coastal
and offshore fisheries targeting various fish
species operate in the area.
State of information:
Moderately well studied, especially the
fishes of the continental shelf and upper
continental slope.
References and further reading:
Francis (1996), McDowall (1990),
McDowall and Eldon (1980), Roberts et al.
(2001).
Whitebait
adaptation to environment; special conditions
and specialised organisms; habitat
complexity/diversity.
Status and management:
Historically, there were large rock lobster
(Jasus edwardsii) fisheries in the fiords, and
associated fishing for bait. This fishery is
now largely confined to the outer fiords. A
management strategy for Fiordland prepared
by The Guardians of Fiordland’s Fisheries
proposes a complete ban on commercial
fishing within the inner fiords. Recreational
fishing for blue cod (Parapercis colias) is
common in the fiords. Two marine reserves
occur in Fiordland.
State of information:
Good information on fish communities,
some information on distribution and abundance,
but little is known of fish ecology.
References and further reading:
Francis et al. (1989), Guardians of Fiordland’s
Fisheries (2001), Ryan and Paulin
(1998), Teirney (2003).
©2004 <strong>WWF</strong>-New Zealand/M. Richardson
BIODIVERSITY – NEW ZEALAND’S MARINE ECOREGION ■ 37