Ngā Kāhui Kaitiaki Mō Kaimoana

Cover image: Mark de Jong

Mā te hoe ngātahi o te waka, ā, ka tutuki pai te kaupapa. By paddling our waka in unison we will best achieve the mission.

Ngā Kāhui Kaitiaki Mō Kaimoana is a two-year (2024-26) Vision Mātauranga-funded research project that aims to empower iwi and hapū partners with the tools and knowledge they need to ensure kaimoana gathered and caught in their rohe is safe to eat.

The collaborative project, led by Cawthron Institute, brings seafood safety scientists and kaitiaki from iwi and hapū groups around Aotearoa New Zealand together to share knowledge and do research that produces the tools and technologies required to manage food safety risk and empower people to exercise kaitiakitanga and manaakitanga in accordance with custom.

Background

The focus of the project will be on paralytic shellfish toxins (PST) as these may result in the most serious health outcome when contaminated shellfish are consumed by humans (i.e., death). This toxin is produced by phytoplankton that are accumulated in shellfish through filter feeding. Harmful algal blooms of species that produce PSTs are common throughout Te Ika-a-Māui and Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka-a-Māui. The number of days per year where biotoxin alerts are in place is high – areas like the Marlborough Sounds had closures in place for 153 days during 2023.

Maketū wānanga 2024 - Ngā Kāhui Kaitiaki Mō Kaimoana

The rōpū at the first project wānanga in Maketū, August 2024.

Collecting-pipi-at-Little-Waihi-1200x720px

Members of the rōpū gather shellfish from Little Waihi Estuary near Maketū for testing during a wānanga in 2022. From left: Dr Sam Murray (Cawthron), Pia Bennett (Te Arawa Ki Tai), Dr Tim Harwood (Cawthron), Dr Kirsty Smith (Cawthron), Garston Smith (Te Whānau ā Tauwhao ki Otawhiwhi Marae), Rupa Williams (Te Arawa Ki Tai).

The coastline of Aotearoa is monitored for marine biotoxins as part of the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI)-administered non-commercial biotoxin monitoring programme. However, this testing information does not empower mana whenua by covering traditional customary mahinga kaimoana areas at the scale required. This raises the possibility that local iwi/hapū/whānau may still be at risk when gathering shellfish during a harmful algal bloom event. Additionally, information on the presence of toxins in kaimoana requires a much quicker response for hau kāinga to exercise rangatiratanga and manaakitanga.

This project will assess the performance of a commercially available rapid testing kit for PST using kaimoana species of cultural importance to Māori (e.g., pipi, tuatua). The tools assessed will be similar to those used for home COVID testing such as lateral flow devices, that are able to be used by non-scientists at point of sample collection. We will develop robust quality control criteria to ensure confidence in the results generated regardless of where samples are tested or who performs the testing. Kit training will be
provided, and resources will be placed in the hands of communities to perform testing as and when necessary. This will allow near real-time decision making as to the safety of gathered kaimoana allowing it to be consumed with confidence at large gatherings such as hui, wānanga and tangihanga.

Funders and Partners

This programme was made possible by the support of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (Vision Mātauranga Fund).

Programme Partners:

The partners in this project include Te Arawa Ki Tai Charitable Trust (Maketū, North Island), Te Whānau a Tauwhao te Hapū (Waihi Beach, North Island), Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui (Top of the South Island), and Cawthron Institute (Nelson, South Island).

These partners are part of a food safety and biosecurity rōpū, established since 2021, which is made up of representatives from across the motu, including from Te Arawa-ki-Tai, Te Whānau-a-Tauwhao te Hapū, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui, Ngāti Kurī (Northland), Patuharakeke (Northland), Ngāti Porou (East Coast, North Island), and Ngāi Takoto (Northland). The rōpū uses the forum as a support network to share ideas and new perspectives as well as discuss challenges they face as kaitiaki.