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Lovers of that essentially West Coast delicacy, whitebait, are having to reach deep into their pockets after the slowest start to the season in two years.
Retail prices in Christchurch have reached $150 a kilogram - if you can find any - but connoisseurs of the tiny translucent delight are prepared to pay a premium, fish retailers say.
The high prices are being blamed on poor catches on the West Coast since the season opened on September 1, but expert fishers say all will come right next month.
"There's not a lot around," West Coast Whitebaiters Association president Jim Bushby said.
"Rivers have been dirty for the last four or five days, which wouldn't help.
"It's been a fairly cold spring here and the water's still fairly cold.
"But tides are coming right and next month should see a bit of action, hopefully."
Mr Bushby said "good rain" over the past three or four days would have "got rid of a bit of snow up the back" and freshened the main whitebaiting rivers.
Cascade Whitebait, of Christchurch - New Zealand's main wholesale supplier - puts the scarcity down to a late season.
"It's the slowest start for a couple of seasons, but we're hoping it will pick up in the next couple of weeks," marketing manager Neville Cane said.
An informal survey of Christchurch retailers yesterday showed that prices were averaging $120 a kilogram - or $12 per 100g.
One retailer reported sales at $150 a kilo last week, but was out of stock yesterday.
A spokesman for the City Seafood Market said his market had turned down wholesale prices of between $85 and $95 a kilo plus GST, and would wait for a more plentiful supply and prices to fall.
- NZPA
