red snapper, reef dweller of the north

Size
Length: 30–45 cm, Weight: 0.5–1.5 kg
Lifespan
15–20 years
Diet
Small fish, squid and crustaceans. Hovers in deep water using large eyes adapted for low light. Uses its protrusible mouth to suck in prey. Feeds near the seafloor at night. Swims with a slow, hovering motion.
Habitat
Rocky reefs and deep coastal waters from 20 to 200 metres depth. Prefers areas with strong currents and clear water. Often found near drop-offs, caves and underwater pinnacles. Forms aggregations on deep rocky reefs.
Range
Coastal waters of the North Island and northern South Island from Northland to Canterbury. Most common around rocky reefs and offshore islands of the North Island. Also found in Australia and the Southwest Pacific.
Endemism
Native
Main Threats
Bycatch in commercial rock lobster pots and bottom trawls. Recreational fishing pressure in some areas. Localised declines near urban areas. Climate change affecting deep reef habitats. No targeted commercial fishery in New Zealand.
Population
Populations are considered stable across most of the range. Not targeted commercially in New Zealand but caught occasionally by recreational fishers fishing in deep water. No formal stock assessment exists. Slow growth and long lifespan make it vulnerable to localised overfishing in easily accessed areas.
Conservation Status
Not Threatened
Brilliant red with enormous eyes. The red snapper lives on deep rocky reefs beyond the reach of most recreational divers. It inhabits depths between 20 and 200 metres. The large eyes are adapted for the dim light of deeper water. This allows it to spot prey in near-darkness. A fish that sees in the dark. Despite its common name, it is not a true snapper. It belongs to the berycid family. It is related to the alfonsino and other deep-water red fish. The Maori name Kaorea refers to its red colour. It also refers to its habit of hovering near the seafloor. It swims with a slow, hovering motion. It uses a protrusible mouth to suck in prey. Red snapper feed near the seafloor at night. They hunt small fish, squid and crustaceans. During the day they hover in aggregations on deep rocky reefs. They favour drop-offs, caves and underwater pinnacles. Strong currents bring food to these locations. It is a slow-moving fish in a dark world. Not targeted commercially in New Zealand, but caught occasionally by recreational fishers fishing in deep water. Slow growth and long lifespan make them vulnerable to localised overfishing in easily accessed areas. A brilliant red fish with googly eyes. It hovers in the dark water. It is a special catch when it comes up on the line. That is the red snapper. It carries on. For now. In Māori tradition, Kaorea was a fish of the deeper reefs. Its bright red colour was associated with certain atua (deities) of the ocean depths. It was caught infrequently. This made it a special catch when it was taken. The rarity of the encounter added to its significance. Mana whenua recognise these deep-water connections.