The season started on September 1 and ended last Saturday. Department of Conservation communications adviser Jose Watson told the Otago Daily Times most rivers had only flurries of whitebait.
''Reports from whitebaiters suggest that this year there have been poor-to-average catches on most West Coast rivers.''
Mr Watson said there had been some reports of good catches on the Buller River.
Compliance with regulations had improved on previous years, he said.
''In previous years we've targeted some problem areas for extra patrols and now we are seeing the results of that work.''
Curly Tree Whitebait Company owner Tony Kerr said the business had ''definitely'' been impacted by the lack of whitebait on the Coast.
''We have had to finish the wholesale side early this year.
''We finished two months early because of the bad season.''
Mr Kerr said he thought the severe winter the region had experienced was to blame.
''Everything has come very late this year.
''There has been plenty of whitebait in rivers in the past three or four days, but the season has already finished.''
The business had enough whitebait on site to last until Easter, he said. Duncan Hedges said he had fished on the Arawhata River since the 1960s and he did not believe the fish were running out.
''I don't think whitebait are depleting.
''When it's ready to come, it will come.''
