Tuna hao, shortfin eel

can live up to 100 years old

Where you can find them:

In lowland lakes, wetlands, rivers and streams. This is  a very tough species which can survive in places other fish can’t. They’re found all over Wairarapa Moana, but you will also find them across Aotearoa New Zealand, eastern Australia and some Pacific islands.

What they look like:

Dark, olive green with a silvery belly, this eel can grow up to 60cm long. They get small wrinkles when they bend.

Did you know:

The Wairarapa Moana tuna fishery was famous. Longfin and shortfin eels formed the basis of the Māori economy in Wairarapa Moana before Europeans arrived. They were traded across the North and South Islands and given as gifts, as well as being a key source of food.