Fishes that you may see at the Poor Knights Islands H to P

With such protection as a marine reserve offers and the natural biodiversity that the Poor Knights Islands have, the fish species seen here over the year is very impressive. Many of the species reside there all year around, whilst others will visit when food, currents and temperatures dictate.

Below are is a growing list of some of the fish we have seen and photographed since 2012. This page and the list of fishes will be added to as we find time to work on it and are lucky enough to see more species.

Fishes H to P

Half Banded Perch

Hypoplectrodes sp

Hapuka

Polyprion oxygenios

Hiwihiwi

Chronemus marmoratus

Hammerhead Shark – Scalloped

Sphyrna zagaena

We only know of one sighting underwater at the Poor Knights near Middle Arch at 70 metres deep. I have personally seen a small one at the Chicks Islands whilst freediving. But we do frequently see hammerhead pups during the summer at the surface on the crossing over.

They are commonly seen on the surface along the bays of Northland down to Auckland during the summer, especially during January. I have witnessed over 10 one morning whilst sailing around Ranitoto island to the Noises.

Please don’t be suckered into thinking you can see them whilst diving here in New Zealand. Where they tend to be, the visibility is pretty poor, such as at Horn Rock.

We still have to visit remote, but amazing places like Cocos Islands, where we took our 2024 Dive Now overseas trip to see them which is where my photo is from.

John Dory

Kahawai

Kingfish

Koheru

Leatherjacket

Long Finned Boarfish

Long Tailed Stingray

Lord Howe Coral Fish

Mado

Atypichthys latus

Manta

Mobula birostris

From late December to early March, if the warm water currents are passing close to the Poor Knights, keep an eye out into the blue for these gentle giants.

On a calm flat day, they can be spotted from the boat as they feed at the surface. Their wing tips break the surface and the flash of their white underside as they barrel roll to get their mouths close to the surface wher the plankton cannot escape.