Hāpuku

Description

The hāpuku, hapuka or whapuku (Polyprion oxygeneios), also known as groper, is a wreckfish of the family Polyprionidae, found around southern Australia, southern South America, South Africa, Tristan da Cunha and New Zealand at depths between 30 and 800 m. Its length is between 60 and 180 cm, and it can weigh up to 100 kg. It is sometimes described locally as cod, although that properly refers to other fish. Hāpuku are grey in colour with silvery white underbellies, with juveniles generally being blue in colour. They have 10 dorsal spines running along their back, a rounded anal fin and rounded pectoral fins, and a large, powerful, square-shaped tail. Its lower jaw protrudes from the top, and their very large eyes are adapted for hunting and inhabiting low-light conditions. Juveniles are thought to be pelagic, switching to demersal when they are about 50 cm in length. They inhabit temperate and subtropical waters of the southern Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, being found in Chile, southeastern Australia and New Zealand. They can be found in waters between 10 m and 800 m deep, but generally prefer waters deeper than 50 m. They are usually found living in cracks, caverns, or caves when found in shallow waters. They are voracious predators, feeding on a large range of other fish species, invertebrates and crustaceans, including red cod and blue cod, hoki, crabs and crayfish. Hāpuku are a large, slow growing, long-lived species. They reach sexual maturity between 10 and 13 years and have lifespans up to 60 years. They can grow as large as 100 kg, but are usually found around the 25 kg mark. They have an average size of 80-100 cm but can grow up to 180 cm in length. Hāpuku are a highly rated eating fish, reaching top value on both the local and international markets. Chefs who have tasted farmed hāpuku have stated that it outperforms wild-caught hāpuku. In New Zealand for the year of 2008, hāpuku had a commercial value of NZ$37 million with an export value of $4.29 million at a price of $10.29 per kg. Hāpuku is fished both commercially and recreationally in New Zealand. It is highly sought after, but catches are relatively low; this species is managed in the New Zealand Quota Management System (QMS). Currently, no size restriction in New Zealand is in place, but a bag limit of five fish per day exists. Significant interest has been expressed globally for development of this species for aquaculture.