Covid-19 hasn't put a stop to the whitebaiting season, which officially kicks off today

It's set to run until the end of November, except for the South Island's West Coast which has different start and end dates.

But Hawke's Bay Regional Council's freshwater ecologist Daniel Fake, says there other forces at play that could have an impact on the season.

He says things like flood events can put a dampener on things, and it also depends on how successful last year's spawning was.

Fake says timing also has an impact on the season.