Te Kūwaha and Māori

Sharing knowledge with Māori communities and empowering Māori business with the latest science.

We are NIWA, Taihoro Nukurangi - Te Reo
Te Kūwaha, NIWA’s National Centre for Māori Environmental Research is a dedicated Māori research team, with a vision to work in partnership with others to enable complementary knowledge systems to support kaitiakitanga and provide environmental research excellence that enhances the social, environmental and economic aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi, Māori communities and Māori business.

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    Tuna - elvers and recruitment

    Once in freshwater, glass eels develop into darker pigmented juvenile eels known as elvers.
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    Mitigation and best practice options

    Some simple steps to minimise the effects of wastewater on water quality and mahinga kai.
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    Tuna - customary fisheries

    Māori have an extensive knowledge of the ecology of freshwater eels, and have maintained their customary fisheries for several centuries.
  • Dry stock farming activities

    Dry stock farms can cover large areas of hill-country grassland that may be steep and prone to erosion.
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    Tuna - commercial fisheries

    Commercial eel fishery in New Zealand began in earnest in the 1960s and expanded rapidly until the early 1970s
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    Impacts of mining

    Impacts of mining on water quality and mahinga kai.
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    Tuna - recreational fisheries

    The majority of New Zealanders are able to recall a story about catching eels when they were children.
  • Restoration and enhancement of piharau / kanakana / lamprey

    Research Project
    NIWA is leading a new six-year research project that seeks to increase our understanding of piharau/kanakana/lamprey, using Mātauranga Māori, social science and biophysical science approaches.
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    Tuna - solutions: upstream passage for elvers at large barriers

    The need to provide upstream passage facilities for ensuring the long term sustainability of migratory freshwater fish populations is now well recognised.
  • Tuna information resource

    Tuna, or freshwater eels, are the most widespread freshwater fish in New Zealand. This 'living' educational resource summarises a large amount of scientific and technical literature.
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    Lake Ōmāpere and the Utakura River

    Tuna harvested from Lake Ōmāpere and Utakura River catchment have long comprised an important fishery for tangata whenua.
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    Tuna - freshwater eels in New Zealand

    Tuna is a generic Māori word for freshwater eels. The word will be used interchangeably in this resource.