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NZ freshwater fishes -

diversity & population trends

Jane Goodman

Department of Conservation

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77 species

54 natives

1 extinct

New Zealand Grayling

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Diadromous/migratory fish

Non-migratory fish

Burrowing fish

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Fish that “aestivate”

Parasitic fish

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Climbing fish

6

Ever wondered what becomes

of a whitebait when it’s life

isn’t frittered away?

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Migratory galaxiids

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Longfin eels

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8 Bully species

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Torrentfish

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Non-migratory galaxiids

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5 mudfish species

Canterbury mudfish

Black mudfish

Brown mudfish & their habitat

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74 %Threatened or At Risk

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Central Otago roundhead galaxias

Extinctions

Population of galaxiids with trout above

Galaxiids only

Central Otago

roundhead galaxias

12 local extinctions

26 populations left

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2.67

1.30

4.51

0.920.78

0.91

0.28 0.28

0.67

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

Lowland longjaw/m2 from 2004 to 2012

Lowland longjaw galaxias

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Causes of

decline}Daniel Jack

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How do we maintain & improve

freshwater fish biodiversity?

• protection of species?

• protection of freshwater ecosystems?

• management plans?

• keep on doing what we’re doing?

• raising awareness of what it means if

these fish disappear and encouraging

involvement from New Zealanders?