This awesome, hotly contested competition run by the Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust  aims to shine a light on fish species and their homes/ecosystems across Aotearoa. It aligns beautifully with the kaupapa of BLAKE as we look to bring thousands of tamariki face-to-face with New Zealand’s underwater world every year, sparking conversations about the threats these environments face, and how we can make a difference.

And although it’s hard to choose just one species, the Blue Maomao is always a highlight to see in our virtual reality lessons which unfold in schools across Aotearoa every year.

Just for fun, here’s what you may not know about the Blue Maomao:

• The mature Blue Maomao are vibrant iridescent blue in colour in the day, and change colour to mottle green at night!
• These fish are found in rocky habitats such as Rangitāhua, the Kermadec Islands and Tāwhitinui, the Poor Knights Islands, as they all have a preferred spot among the rocks that they like to go back to sleep at night.
• Blue Maomao go into a feeding frenzy for shrimp at the surface, causing the school of fish to create large foaming splashes at the surface, a common sight at Tāwhitinui. These schools of fish can be made up of 50 to over 1,000 individual fish that can display polarized swimming patterns, the fish all coordinate directions to increase the schools protection from predators and increased feeding success
• Blue Maomao can swim at bursts of 20km/h when they are alarmed by predators, their main prey being sharks!

There’s so much more to love about this fish and what it represents as a sign of good life in our coastal waters.

We’d love you to cast your vote and help us crown this special fish as the esteemed ‘Fish of the Year 2026’.

If you have some fun photos, favourite facts, or maybe even a unique interaction with the Blue Maomao feel free to share your experiences and photos! 

Voting is now open!!! Cast your vote for the Blue Maomao by clicking here. 

Photo credit// New Zealand Geographic