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Average length 140-180 cm, average weight 5-15 kg. Pale brownish grey above, white below. Distinguished by the broad flaglike tip of the upper tail lobe. Found throughout New Zealand coastal waters, more common in the north; typically a species of the shallower waters of the continental shelf, but known to at least 200 m. Caught either by trawling or set lines. Available all year but landings peak during summer months. A small to moderate resource.

Average size 2-3 m. Indigo blue on back, shading to bright blue on sides, snow white below. Ranges New Zealand offshore waters south to about Otago Peninsula. Common catch on foreign tuna longliners. Fins used for soup.

Average size 2-3 m. Blue to blue grey above, bright white below. Like marlins is a streamlined, slender, swift swimmer of surface and near surface waters; sometimes enters shallow bays. Has habit of robbing set nets and lines. A prized gamefish, taken when trolling for marlin; also taken by foreign, tuna longliners. Sold as fillets in Japan.

Average total length: rough skate 45-80 cm, reaching 100 cm; smooth skate 60-100 cm, reaching 160 cm. The two commercial species found around New Zealand, rough skate and smooth skate, are closely related. Rough skate has rough skin, and relatively broad tail, usually with three rows of conical spines. Smooth skate has smooth skin (except in large specimens) and a thin tail with one to three rows of spines. Smooth skate can also be distinguished by a more pointed snout and fatter disc. Males of both species have claspers and longer pelvic fins at base of tail. Both species occur all around New Zealand; rough skate is more common in coastal waters, smooth skate is usually found in deeper waters to 200 m. Caught mainly by trawling, sometimes by line. Caught all year. Resource size unknown but undoubtedly small.

Average length 60-90 cm, average weight 3-4 kg. New Zealand only, with very similar species off southern Australia, South Africa and South America. Silver-grey above, with darker blotches, silvery-white below, skin smooth. The plough or hoe-like extension of the nose distinguishes the elephant fish from other chimaeras or ghost sharks. Occurs around the South Island, most common near Banks Peninsula, 20-200 m. Caught by trawling and gill nets. Main season October to February. A small resource.

Average length 50-60 cm, excluding tail filament; average weight 1-1.5 kg. Dark ghostshark occurs only in New Zealand but similar species occur elsewhere. Dark ghostshark is brown above, with distinct white stripes and mottlings; white below. Pale ghostsharks is very pale brown above, with only a few darker vertical bars above the lateral line; white occur below. Both species occur in deep water; Dark 200-400 m, Pale 400-800m. Dark ghostshark fairly common off central and southern New Zealand but not Campbell Plateau. Pale ghostshark fairly common on Campbell Plateau as well as deeper areas of Chatham Rise and south east New Zealand. Caught by trawling and deepwater lining as a by-catch; landed all year round. Resource size of both species unknown, probably moderate.

Average weight 4.7 kg, ranging from 0.5 to 17 kg. Colour variable depending on surroundings. Widespread around New Zealand from shoreline to at least 200 m. Relatively short-lived and fast-growing. Caught mainly as a by-catch of the rock lobster fishery and, as would be expected, landings have some correlation with rock lobster seasons. Caught all year round. Resource size untested but probably small.

Average anterior mantle length for jig caught squid 15-35 cm; weight range 100-1200 gms; maximum size 1800 gms. Mature females grow 3-4 cms longer and 200-300 gms heavier than males. Notodarus sloanii occurs off the east coast of the South Island and the Southern Plateau, Notodarus gouldi is found in warmer waters off the west coast of New Zealand and east coast of the North Island. Both species found at depths of 50 m to 300 m: more abundant at edge of continental shelf, 150-200 m, but are frequently found close to shore. Caught by jigging and trawling. Main season December-May. Very large resouse, one of New Zealand,s largest, and probably capable of yielding 80,000-100,000 tonnes, but subject to considerable annual variation.

Average weight 0.5-1.5 kg. Colour varies white to purple; thinner body wall than arrow squid. Found off the west coast of New Zealand from Nelson northwards and off the east coast of northern half of the North Island.