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Trochus were introduced to the Aitutaki in the 1950s from Fiji. From Aitutaki they were translocated to other islands.In Aitutaki trochus harvests of 20 - 30 tonnes are fished annually or biannually under the managment of the Island Council and with technical advice provided by the Ministry of Marine Resources.
On Rarotonga trochus stocks have recently reached a large enough quantify for sustainable harvests. The first commercial harvests began in 2000.
The Minstry of Marine Resouces continues to relocate broodstock to other islands in order to establish commercial stocks.
Trochus are being hatchery reared in Aitutaki at the Araura Marine Research Station.
Further transplantation and seeding of juvenile trochus have also been distributed to the most of the Southern Group Islands in the last 10 years. It is the hope of the MMR that in the next 5-10 years, a strong and a well established population would sufficiently cater for a commercial harvest on these respective islands.
