Native fish project to boost population

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A joint initiative between Horizons Regional Council and Palmerston North City Council may soon boost the native fish population.

The five-month trial will involve trapping fish in a specially designed holding tank at the base of Turitea Dam, before manually transferring them to spawning sites in the headwaters.

Horizons environmental scientist Logan Brown said the dam's steep hill provides a barrier to native fish migration.

The trap was installed at the start of November and the trial will run until the end of March.