Average size 55-70cmWeighing 2-3kg, but can grow up to 10kg
Occurs all around New Zealand and southern Australia.
Blue moki has a deep compressed body, moderate sized head and mouth with thick fleshy lips, small paired fins. Large scales. Blue-gray above, with several dark bands, silver-grey on flanks, white below.
Distributed all around New Zealand but most common around the South Island, and from Cape Runaway to Hawkes Bay to depths of 100m. Taken mainly by trawling and set nets. Caught all year round. A small resource, perhaps yielding 1000 tonnes per annum.
Of all related species occurring in New Zealand, trumpeter is a small commercial resource, and copper moki is uncommon. The red moki, in the related family Cheilodactylidae, is common but threatened because it is a very slow-growing species.
