Butterfish belong to the Odacidae family.  Their body colour varies according to size and sex.  Young fish are golden-bronze with broken white, mid-body stripes.  Adults are brown to olive green, with breeding males dark blue-black.  The body is streamlined and plump with large anal and dorsal fins, a pointed head, and a small mouth.

Butterfish Fishery

Butterfish are only found around the New Zealand coast, and are widespread.  They are rarely found at depths greater than 15 metres. 

Butterfish are more abundant south of East Cape, especially around Cook Strait.  They are caught commercially year-round in set nets.

New Zealand's Butterfish fishery is managed by strict quotas, which allow only a set amount of Butterfish to be taken commercially each year. This Total Allowable Commercial Catch (TACC) was set at 162 metric tonnes for the 2009/10 fishing year.

Butterfish Meat Quality

Butterfish flesh has medium to thick flakes and is white when cooked.  Butterfish are suited to most cooking methods and have good Omega-3 levels.

For meal ideas using Butterfish, check out the recipes on the Greatest Meal on Earth website.