The mystery of a 100m-long object that washed up on a Southland beach has been solved.
The black, plastic pipe-like object washed up on Te Waewae Bay last week.
Deputy harbourmaster Ian Coard said he received many suggestions from the public on what the object could be.
The news made headlines in Australia, and a Tasmanian salmon farming company has come forward to claim it.
Mr Coard said Huon Aquaculture lost the pipe in August when it broke free from a marine farm.
An air and water search by the company failed to find it.
Mr Coard said the company was investigating options to retrieve the pipe.