Whitebait Fritters

Whitebait here are not the small herring sold under that name in Europe: they are the juveniles of five native galaxiid species, four of which are classified as threatened or at risk. They hatch inland, wash out to sea, and return up river mouths in spring as translucent inch-long fish, where they are netted from stands on the riverbank. The West Coast is the heart of it, and whitebaiting there is a serious seasonal culture with its own etiquette and long-standing disputes over stands. The classic preparation is minimal - whitebait, egg, salt, a little flour, fried and served on white bread with lemon - because the fish are delicate and expensive enough that nobody wants to bury them. Prices routinely run to the hundreds of dollars a kilogram. The fishery is regulated with a set season, restricted methods and closed areas, and the rules change; check the current ones before considering catching any.

What to look for

• The fish - translucent juveniles of five native galaxiid species.
• The fritter - egg, whitebait, minimal flour, on white bread with lemon.
• The West Coast stands - riverbank nets and the culture around them.
• The price - among the most expensive seafood in the country.

When to go

The main season runs September and October, with regional variation. Coast cafes advertise fresh fritters when the run is on. Outside the season the fish is frozen.

Good to know

Extremely expensive, and many cafe fritters are mostly egg. Four of the five species are threatened, and the fishery is tightly regulated - if you plan to catch any, check the current season, method and area rules first. Frozen whitebait is a lesser thing.

Nearby

West Coast river mouths from Karamea to Haast; Hokitika and Greymouth in season.