Te Kūwaha and Māori

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

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.

Tuna harvested from Lake Ōmāpere and Utakura River catchment have long comprised an important fishery for tangata whenua.

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

In comparison to the vast span of geological time, the estuaries that we see today are very recent coastal features.

There are several ways to tell the three New Zealand eel species apart.

To prepare for changes in climate, our freshwater and oceans decision-makers need information on species vulnerability to climate change.

Freshwater eels have an unusual life cycle which sees them travelling between the ocean, estuaries and freshwaters.

Tuna are found in all sorts of habitats (places), including coastal estuaries, lakes, wetlands, rivers, mountain streams and even alpine tarns.

A number of individuals, organisations and hapū have contributed to the development of Ngā Waihotanga Iho.

Traditionally, tangata whenua have collected information about estuaries to monitor resources, such as kaimoana, and to make decisions about conservation measures, such as rähui. Increasingly, tangata whenua are using scientific tools to help monitor their natural resources and Ngä Waihotanga Iho provides a science perspective for talking about environmental issues and concerns related to estuaries.

Through the Te Wai Māori fund Ngā Repo o Maniapoto is a collaborative project between NIWA and the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board (MMTB) Whanake Taiao team that looks to develop an inventory of repo and puna (springs) for the Maniapoto rohe.