Seaweek 2023: Meet the manta ray vying for Fish of the Year

A giant manta ray glides at Poor Knights Islands. Photo / Glenn Edney Te Wairua O Te Moananui Ocean Spirit Trust

The giant manta ray is taking over from a much smaller rarely-seen seaweed-living fish as New Zealand’s Fish of the Year 2023 competition heats up.

The manta ray is currently topping the leaderboard from among 33 different marine and freshwater fish in the annual competition for which voting closes on March 31.

The ocean giant’s wingspan can reach 9m across. It travels New Zealand waters including to Northland’s Poor Knights Islands as part of its international global roaming lifestyle.

The manta ray is taking over from early frontrunner an at-risk up to 18cm long crested weedfish that lives in seaweed forests, also in the Poor Knights Islands.

Northland-based Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) founder Samara Nicholas said more than a thousand people had already voted in the organisation’s annual Seaweek Fish of the Year/Te Ika o Te Tau competition.

The small incredibly seaweed-like and strange-looking crested weedfish was late last week emerging as an early competition frontrunner, Nicholas said but has since dropped out of the top 10 voting spots. Meanwhile, the native long-finned eel or tuna is in current second place ahead of the great white shark in third.

Nicholas started the national competition in 2021 to boost interest and awareness about the marine environment and the importance of looking after it.

Two-time winner, the eagle ray (whai repo) - commonly seen around Northland and New Zealand harbours and marinas - won’t have a look in this year.

“We decided to take the eagle ray out of the competition to give other fish a chance,” Nicholas said.

“This year, we’ve added the manta ray instead to our line-up of 33 different fish people can vote for,” Nicholas said.

Voters are eligible to win Northland Regional Council (NRC) prizes.

Seaweek - Kaupapa Moana is New Zealand’s annual national week celebrating the sea and runs from March 5 to 13. It is coordinated nationally by Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre (MERC).

This year’s Te Tai Tokerau Seaweek - Kaupapa Moana celebration will include Northland’s first Seaweek night snorkel, organised by EMR and NRC and be held at Matapōuri estuary on March 21; at Reotahi in Whangārei Heads on March 26, and Bay of Islands’ Deep Water Cove near Cape Brett on April 1.

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