The University of Canterbury will have people fishing in these areas later this month and it encourages anyone who sees its scientists on the rivers to have a yarn and share their knowledge.
Marine ecologist Mike Hickford said the project was being run in conjunction with the Department of Conservation, which was helping the university access the closed rivers.
Dr Hickford said they would not be catching whitebait shoals, but adult fish such as inanga. About "99%" of the fish caught would be returned to the water.
Scientists want to look at the effects on later life stages, while also looking at rivers with modified habitat and those which are less disturbed. They will be using fyke nets, which looks like sock nets.
They hope to get started mid to late September and the project will run until the end of next year.
Long-term South Westland whitebaiter Paul Wilson, who represents Te Runanga o Makaawhio on a whitebait working group, said the entire West Coast would be examined.
"I 100% support the study," Mr Wilson said. "We need to start learning about the fishing and the habitat."
He wanted to go public about the study so people would not "get confrontational" when they saw someone fishing on the closed rivers.
The idea was to "put some science" behind the discussion on the fishery.
A separate DoC project under way this season will look at the social and cultural aspects of whitebaiting on the West Coast.
Both projects are under the umbrella of the sustainable whitebait fishery working group.
Closed rivers to be fished include:
• Kongahu swamp, Karamea.
• Blackwater and Acre creeks, Karamea.
• Bradshaws Creek, Westport (Buller River south bank).
• Punakaiki River tributaries.
• Hikimute Lagoon, Punakaiki.
• Bullock Creek, Punakaiki.
• Mahinapua and Fisherman's Creek, Hokitika.
• One One Creek, Hari Hari.
• Hindley Creek, Waiatoto River, Haast.
• Hapuka River, Collier Creek, Nolans, Crickey, Old Man's Creek, Haast.
• Barn River, Barn Bay.
• Deep Creek and Limestone Creek, Cascade.
• Granite Creek, south of Ross.
• Deadmans Creek, Westport.
• Orowaiti River, Westport.
• Waimea Creek, Hokitika.
• Charcoal Creek, Hokitika.
• Gypsy Creek.
- By Laura Mills
