MTI aquaculture students provided 30 farms raised Giant Kokopu (Galaxias argenteus) for release

in the Nukumea Stream, Orewa. This project, originally conceived by the aquaculture team in

2005, was funded by the Northern Gateway Alliance, builders of the Northern Toll road, as

part of their policy of environmental remediation.

The Kokopu, which had been raised from eggs at the MTI aquaculture research and Certificate in

Aquatic Studies training facility in Warkworth each had a radio transmitter inserted and their movements

for the next two years will be monitored by NIWA via streamside monitoring stations that have been

installed. Provided this trial proves successful, there will be up to 1000 fish released in

2011. It is hoped that this will establish a stable population of Giant Kokopu, a species

that were once common in this catchment but have not been recorded there for many years.