Biophysical science currently recognises three eel species that occur in New Zealand – the endemic longfin (Anguilla dieffenbachii), the shortfin (Anguilla australis) and the Australian longfin (Anguilla reinhardtii).

It is the largest freshwater eel in New Zealand and the only endemic species – the other eels found in New Zealand are the native shortfin eel (Anguilla australis), also found in Australia, and the naturally introduced Australian longfin eel (Anguilla reinhardtii).

Eel diagram - look how hard it is to be a tuna! Shaded images behind the tuna are the barriers or pressures that tuna face throughout their life cycle e.g. drop culverts, dams, predation, human consumption.

Tuna (the Māori word for eels) are not only historically important to Māori, they are our taonga today. But pressure on some species is resulting in their decline.

Tuna or freshwater eels are a very significant, widely-valued, heavily-exploited, culturally iconic mahinga kai resource. Common name: Freshwater eel Scientific names: Anguilla dieffenbachii (longfin eel) and Anguilla australis (shortfin eel) Māori names: includes tuna*

Once eels become migrants (also known as tuna heke or tuna whakaheke) they stop feeding, and progressively develop the external features that clearly distinguish them from 'feeders'. Every year, a proportion of eels mature and migrate to sea to spawn.

The word tuna refers to eels – specifically freshwater eels. In some contexts it can also refer to conger eels and other fish that look like eels. Tuna were an important food for Māori – especially freshwater eels and eel-like piharau (lampreys).

In one tradition, a giant eel called Tuna frightened the demigod Māui’s wives. To punish Tuna, Māui cut him in half. One half turned into the conger eel, which lives in the sea. The other half fell in a river and became a freshwater eel. Māori built weirs to catch eels.

The longfin eel, known locally as tuna, is one of the largest eels in the world. They are a truly remarkable fish, able to travel overland for up to 2 days by breathing through their skin. During the day, eels are secretive, hiding under logs and boulders or under riverbanks.

Tuna kuwharuwharu (longfin eels) are of great significance to Maori culturally, nutritionally and economically. Eels are a significant mahinga kai (food) for Maori, although the dwindling numbers have seriously affected the significance of eels to their diet.