holds the rocky reef drop-off zones

Size
Length: 50–80 cm, Weight: 3–10 kg
Lifespan
20–30 years
Diet
Carnivorous. Feeds on small crustaceans worms and sea squirts. Uses protrusible mouth to pick prey from rocky surfaces. Forages slowly across reef bottoms by browsing.
Habitat
Rocky reefs and kelp forests from shallow waters down to 200 metres depth. Prefers areas with strong currents and high oxygen levels. Often found near drop-offs and caves.
Range
Found in temperate waters around New Zealand from Northland to Stewart Island. Most common around offshore islands and rocky reefs of South Island. Also found in Australia.
Endemism
Endemic
Main Threats
Bycatch in commercial rock lobster pots and bottom trawls is primary threat. Also threatened by localised declines near urban areas and climate change affecting kelp habitat.
Population
Populations considered stable across most of species' range. Giant boarfish is not targeted by commercial or recreational fishers. Caught occasionally as bycatch in lobster pots.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Human Risk
harmless
Handling Note
deep sea boarfish, fragile species observe from distance
Conservation Note
Endemic marine fish; not assessed by NZTCS as marine fish are outside the scope of current threat classifications.
Te Ao Māori
The giant boarfish has no traditional Māori name or significance as it was not a common target for Māori fishers. Its pig-like snout and grunting sounds were noted but it was not a major food source. In modern times it is known as a curious-looking reef fish harmless to humans and rarely seen by divers. It is a reminder that not every fish is a target. Some are just there living their slow quiet lives on the reefs. It remains outside the primary cultural record.
Tall deep-bodied fish with a distinctive snout and large fleshy lips. It looks like it belongs in a different era. The high spiny dorsal fin gives it a prehistoric appearance. The name boarfish comes from its pig-like snout and the grunting sounds it makes when caught. It lives for decades on rocky reefs slowly browsing on small crustaceans and worms. Despite its size it is harmless to humans and rarely seen by divers. A fish that grunts like a pig and looks like a fossil. The impression is archaic. The reality is quiet. The body is deep and compressed with a large head and a terminal mouth. The lips are thick and fleshy. The snout is pig-like and protruding. The dorsal fin is high and spiny. The colour is a silvery grey or brown with darker bands. A design that raises questions. The morphology is specific. The function is obscure. It acts as a slow-moving browser picking small crustaceans and worms from rocky surfaces. It uses its protrusible mouth to suck in prey. It does not chase. It browses. A fish that has never needed to be fast. The strategy is patience. The energy expenditure is low. The reward is steady. Growth is slow taking many years to reach maturity. It can live for three decades a long life for a reef fish. This slow pace of life makes it vulnerable to overfishing. A fish that takes decades to grow and seconds to die. The imbalance is stark. The recovery is glacial. The risk is cumulative. It is not targeted by commercial fisheries. It is occasionally caught as bycatch in rock lobster pots. It is also caught by recreational fishers though it is not a prized catch due to its coarse flesh. The value is low. The interest is minimal. The survival is accidental. To see one is rare. They live on rocky reefs in kelp forests near drop-offs and caves. They are the ancient fish of the reefs with their pig-like snouts and spiny fins. The visibility is low. The presence is elusive. The encounter is memorable. The reef is deep. The boarfish browses pig-snouted and spiny-finned slow and ancient. The diver watches. The boarfish does not notice. The indifference is total. The observation is one-sided. It has been here for decades. It will be here for decades more if the pots leave it alone. The threat is passive. The existence is persistent. The future is uncertain.