(File)A major survey of whitebaiting in the country has revealed huge support for tougher regulations on the practice. John Bisset/Stuff Four out of six native whitebait species are in serious trouble nationally. "We want the whitebait season to be stable, we don't want it to be decimated like it has been in the West Coast." Four of the six native species that make up the whitebait fishery are threatened or at risk of extinction – giant kōkopu, shortjaw kōkopu, inanga and kōararo." Any future changes to the whitebait regulations need to be carefully thought through and be informed by public comment and views," Sage said.

Source: Stuff May 17, 2019 03:00 UTC