Te Kūwaha - Research Projects

Science Centres: Te Kūwaha

Accessible Aquaculture - Hongoeka Development Trust Ltd

 

Māori participate in all aspects of the seafood industry but Māori involvement in the aquaculture industry is less than it should be. The barriers to greater involvement include high capital costs and long lag-times before profits are realised.

 

Risk Assessment of Contaminants in Traditional Food Sources

 

Gathering, eating and sharing wild kai (food) has always been a very important part of Māori culture and wellbeing - this research project aimed to characterise the risks associated with consuming kai collected from rivers, lakes and coastlines.

 

Tipa Variability and Enhancement in Tai Tokerau

The Tai Tokerau tipa (scallop) fishery SCA1 is highly valued by commercial, recreational and customary fishers. However, the growth and recruitment of scallops is variable, resulting in a somewhat unpredictable fishery.

Mātauranga Māori and Sustainable Management of New Zealand Fisheries

 

While outside partners such as NIWA have technical and financial resources that can initially help, Rohe Moana & Mātaitai Reserve management requires the local community who actively manage their customary fisheries, to take ownership of project process, tools and outcomes into the future.

 

Restoration and Enhancement of Piharau / Kanakana (Lamprey)

 

NIWA is leading a new six-year research project that seeks to increase our understanding of piharau/kanakana/lamprey utilising Mātauranga Māori, social science and biophysical science approaches.

Ngā Waihotanga Iho - Estuarine Monitoring Toolkit for Iwi

 

Ngā Waihotanga Iho, the estuarine monitoring toolkit for Iwi, has been developed to provide tangata whenua with tools to measure environmental changes in their estuaries. While Ngā Waihotanga Iho is based on sound science principles, it is also underpinned by tangata whenua values.

Restoring Kōaro in the Rotorua lakes

 

The kōaro was once abundant in the Te Arawa lakes near Rotorua in New Zealand’s North Island. NIWA has assessed the viability of restoring this species in the region.