As part of the Maitai Restoration projects ecologists and Friends of the Maitai have been monitoring fish migrations at the Almond Tree and Golf Course fords to determine if native fish and trout can move freely in the mid and upper reaches without structures blocking their passage.
On Thursday evening 9 October the monitoring team, armed with spotlights, was rewarded with the first observations of small whitebait-size koaro climbing their way over Almond Tree Ford. Koaro are very strong climbers even at 45-50mm but they can live for 15 plus years! Another interesting observation was the large number of recently hatched brown trout from the gravel accumulations below Almond Tree Ford. Fish surveys will continue every month and when fish movements are understood recommendations will be made to improve fish passage opportunities in the Maitai River.