National Aquarium of New Zealand general curator Joe Woolcott and diver Tami Evans relocating hāpuku from a holding tank to the main Oceanarium exhibit. Photo / Supplied
National Aquarium of New Zealand general curator Joe Woolcott and diver Tami Evans relocating hāpuku from a holding tank to the main Oceanarium exhibit. Photo / Supplied
Visitors to the National Aquarium of New Zealand in Napier are being greeted by four new arrivals.
The main Oceanarium exhibit is the new home of four hāpuku.
Recently transferred from Niwa Northland Marine Research Centre at Bream Bay, the four fish spent time in a holding tank under closeobservation before being released into the main aquarium.
Originally wild, each fish weighed between 12 and 15kg and was about 10 years old when caught between 2016 and 2018 for Niwa's sustainable hāpuku aquaculture research.
Aquarium staff travelled to Northland to collect the fish from Niwa, after completing their role as broodstock in the aquaculture programme and subsequently being offered to the aquarium.
The transportation required careful planning by specialist aquarium staff, including a customised transport system that allowed real-time water quality monitoring and control.
One of the four new hāpuku at the aquarium in its new home. Photo / Supplied
Aquarium general curator Joe Woolcott said staff were looking forward to being able to share the species and their story with visitors.
"They have settled in really well and are proving a highlight for our divers and visitors alike," he said.
"The work that Niwa has put into aquaculture is remarkable, and it is exciting to think about the place this could potentially play in the future sustainability of New Zealand's marine environment."
Hāpuku can usually be found at depths between 30 and 800 metres.
Early accounts of hāpuku indicate they were once abundant and even found in shallow water, according to Woolcott.
Their appeal as a high quality eating fish and the ease with which they could be caught meant accessible groups were quickly fished out.
These days, mature hāpuku are seldom found in less than 60 metres water depth, and usually only by well-equipped deep water fishermen, Woolcott added.
