Ko te moana te mauri o te iwi. The ocean is the life force of our people. This whakataukī guides every aspect of the Hei o Wharekaho Settlement Trust’s involvement in the Pou Rāhui, Pou Tikanga, Pou Oranga programme, which continues to demonstrate how traditional knowledge systems can enhance contemporary marine conservation efforts.
The year has seen significant progress across multiple fronts, with our work demonstrating how traditional ecological knowledge can enhance research methodologies and improve conservation outcomes while generating valuable data for the scientific community.
Exotic caulerpa: Rapid response and traditional navigation
One of our most important contributions this year has been the surveillance and response to exotic Caulerpa threats at Ahuahu and Rapanga.
What makes our approach unique is how our understanding of seasonal current patterns and traditional navigation knowledge enhances detection efforts. We know that the outgoing tide on the inside of Ahuahu moves in an easterly direction coming down from Aotea and the Colville Channel squeezing through the Mercury islands. This mātauranga helps predict where invasive species might establish.
A New Detection Team (NDT) has been established for the discovery at Repanga using the New Detection Framework to guide a coordinated response. The Trust is working closely with MPI to plan the exotic caulerpa elimination work. A resource consent for elimination activity throughout the Ngāti Hei rohe has been secured from WRC.
Building iwi marine science capacity
A significant achievement has been establishing a diving qualification pathway. We have established comprehensive diving qualification pathways spanning from beginner level through to scientific and professional diving qualifications.
This progression guide supports the Trust’s vision of building iwi-led marine conservation capability while creating sustainable employment and professional development opportunities for whānau. The framework endeavours to connect traditional practices and ocean knowledge with contemporary scientific diving requirements, creating unique pathways for our people to engage professionally with marine research.
Strategic partnerships strengthening our voice
Our participation in regional governance has continued with Mātua Joe Davis attending Hauraki Gulf Forum Group meetings, contributing traditional knowledge perspectives to regional marine management discussions.
The multi-agency coordination for Caulerpa management exemplifies our collaborative approach. The New Detection Team (NDT) comprises representatives from: Ngāti Hei, Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), Waikato Regional Council, Department of Conservation (DOC), Coast & Catchment Ltd., and other relevant stakeholders.
Scallop restoration: Learning and adapting
The Ōpito Tipa Regeneration Project has provided valuable data despite facing some serious challenges. Although the project started in February (missing optimal spawning timing) and suffered equipment damage from Cyclone Tam, Season 1 successfully collected 281 scallops from 31 cages, validating the spat collection methodology.
Looking ahead, Season 2 will deploy 20 enhanced scallop spat collection rigs across two strategic locations: expanded operations at Ōpito Bay and a new deployment at Home Bay, Ahuahu. The Ahuahu extension represents the first scallop restoration attempt on this ecologically significant island (read the full story here).
Cultural protocols guiding science
All our research activities maintain appropriate cultural protocols. Karakia mark significant phases, honouring the mauri of marine environments and ensuring cultural values guide scientific activities. Te Whanganui o Hei – The Great Bay of Hei, is our ancestral home, since time immemorial, and these coastal areas have been our pātaka kai.
Looking forward
The Pou Rāhui programme demonstrates that effective marine conservation requires both the precision of contemporary science and the wisdom held within traditional knowledge systems. Through careful integration of these approaches, we advance not only the health of our moana but also the recognition of indigenous knowledge within scientific frameworks.
Our commitment remains clear: maintaining cultural protocols in all research activities, contributing robust data to scientific understanding, building respectful partnerships across knowledge systems, and training the next generation in integrated approaches to marine research.
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