By DYKES, Mervyn Northern whitebaiters opened the new season yesterday to a reminder that two adult forms of the delicacy have been listed as threatened species by the Department of Conservation. One, the giant kokupu, has been given a similar threat ranking to brown kiwi.

By ROOKES, Felicity WHITEBAITERS will hit the rivers and streams today as the season officially opens in Taranaki -- though some have made an early start.

Fish to help clear another Chinese lake from algae pollution NANJING, Feb.

East China's Anhui Province has resorted to the biological measure of using algae-eating fish to clear the polluted Chaohu Lake, the country's fifth largest body of freshwater.

By DYKES, Mervyn The early-morning light is golden and the air crisp with an aftertaste of winter, but that doesn't stop the keener whitebaiters from turning out early at Foxton Beach.