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Average size 25-40 cm. Graded according to weight from 175 to 600+ gms. Colour variable according to environment but often dark green, blind side yellowish and often with dark spots. Distinguished from sand flounder by colour, oval shape and smaller eyes. Yellowbelly occurs throughout New Zealand coastal waters down to about 50 m. Caught mainly by set net in harbours and bays. Available all year. A small resource.

Average size 120-160 cm, weighing 1.5-2 kg, but can grow to 2 m. Long ribbon-like body; uniformly silver colour; smooth skin, no scales. Sharp head, very long dorsal fin, and thin attachment of tail to body. Widely dispersed around New Zealand but areas of concentration relatively unknown. Caught incidentally by trawlers. Resource size unknown but probably small.

Average length 70-100 cm, average weight 4 kg. Silvery grey above, white below, small scales. Occurs around the South Island in 200-800 m. Caught by trawling. Main grounds off Westland in winter. A moderate resource.

Average length 80-120 cm, average weight range 5-20 kg. Robust and eel shaped becoming relatively thicker with increasing age. Orange-pink and brown above, with irregular markings, paler to white below. Skin smooth. Widespread and common in 200-700 m around the southern North Island and South Island. Caught mainly by longline, also by trawl. Available all year round. A large resource, currently estimated as probably capable of producing annual yields of up to 20,000 tonnes.

Average length 30-40 cm, average weight 1.5 kg. Blue green above with a pattern of dark oblique wavy lines. Sides and belly silvery white with rows of dark spots along sides under the lateral line. The two dorsal fins are widely separated. Widespread around the North Island and northern South Island. Present, often in considerable abundance, throughout the year. Pelagic. Caught by purse seine. A moderate resource.

Average length: (T. declivis) 35-50 cm; 30-40 cm (T. novaezelandiae). Average weight 850 gm. Blue, or green with faint brown bands above, silvery white below; small scales, and a row of rough scutes along the body. Both jack mackerels are widespread and common on the bottom, in midwater and occasionally at the surface, around most of New Zealand, especially the west coast of North Island (T. declivis) and the Bay of Plenty (T. novaezelandiae) to depths of 300 m; (T. declivis) is the more abundant species and is caught by trawl. T. novaezelandiae is caught by purse seine. Available all year round. A large resource species with estimated annual yield of perhaps 15,000-20,000 tonnes for (T. declivis) and 10,000-20,000 tonnes for (T. novaezelandiae).

Average length 30-40 cm, average weight 1.8 kg, but can grow to 60 cm. Deep bodies and laterally compressed with one pectoral fin ray elongated. Colour varies with locality from silvery with blue-green sheen, to silvery black. Distinctive black shoulder band. Small protractile mouth with thick lips. Moderate scales. Tarakihi is common all round New Zealand; most abundant in the cooler waters south of east Cape and around the South Island. Demersal, main depth range 100-250 m. Caught mainly by trawling. Landed all year round with catches increasing February to June.

Average size 30-50 cm, weighing up to 1.5 kg. Blue-green above, some yellow on sides, silver white below. Small scales, row of scutes along rear part of body. Common around North Island and northern South Island; most abundant along the north east and north west coasts of the North Island to depths of 80 m. Caught mostly by trawl, purse seine and set net. Landed all year round. A moderate resource capable of an annual yield of about 3000 tonnes.

Average size 60-100 cm, reaching 200 cm, and an average weight of 30 kg. Cosmopolitan in tropical and subtropical seas. Migratory, pelagic. Metallic dark blue above, changing through yellow to silvery white on belly. Large fish have very long second dorsal and anal fins. Main fishing grounds north east of New Zealand between East Cape and North Cape where game vessels with trolling gear take small numbers and foreign longliners engage in a limited fishery for this species from January to March. A small resource.