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Mainland colonies of Australasian gannet (Morus serrator) colonies at Muriwai, northwestem Auckland, New Zealand, were counted between 1999 and 2002. Fences installed in 1981 on the landward side of the colonies were removed at the end of the breeding seasons of 1996 (southern colony) and 1997 (northern colony). Counts 3 years before and after fence removal were compared. After fence removal, the total average number of birds during the peak breeding season (December and January) increased by 65%. The increase resulted largely from an increase in the average number of pairs nesting on the northern colony, and a small increase in the average maximum number of chicks on the northern and southern colonies.