The eeling industry has bit back at campaigners' calls to ban commercial fishing of longfin eels.
It comes as the conservation status of New Zealand's freshwater fish is under review.
Longfin eels can be found in many of our waterways around the country. They're considered taonga - revered by Maori as a connection to the gods.
They're also fished commercially and according to the industry the population is booming.
"The eel fishery being perfectly sustainable, in fact if anything it's getting better," said environmental consultant Bill Chisholm.
It's estimated around 130 tonnes of the eel is caught every year for commercial and export purposes.
That could soon change with consultation on the conservation status of New Zealand freshwater fish underway.
But that hasn't stopped a petition to ban commercial and recreational fishing of the native eel.
"According to DoC (Department of Conservation) it is at risk/declining, that means at risk of extinction," said petitioner Liam McMahon.
"When I found out they were still being exported 100s of tonnes of them a year I thought this can't go on."
Fisheries New Zealand is confident it can go on. It says the population is in a stable condition.
"We monitor very closely what is being caught, fishers have to report electronically so we know exactly what they're catching and where they're catching it from," said fisheries management director Emma Taylor.
The total allowable catch for longfins is around 250 tonnes per year. That's been described as a minuscule amount.
"Over 70 percent of longfin eel habitat in New Zealand is not commercially fished," Chisholm said.
Whether that figure could change will depend on the outcome of DoC's freshwater fish review .. with submissions closing on Monday.
