Otago whitebait are looking better than in other parts of New Zealand, with catches showing a slight improvement due to habitat restoration work by the Department of Conservation (Doc) and Contact Energy.
The whitebait season starts this week and Doc is reminding Otago whitebaiters to keep a diary of their catches so rangers can monitor the state of the fishery.
The season runs from August 15 until November 30.
''Their feedback on catches and time spent on the river shows despite whitebait numbers declining overall in New Zealand, in Otago numbers may have slightly improved in recent years,'' Doc senior ranger for Coastal Otago, Pete Ravenscroft said.
