Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai subprojects

Capacity Building for Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai

Principal investigator: Katja Schweikert

Staff involved: Katja Schweikert

Brief abstract

The main task of this project was to start a network and build up relationships with tangata tiaki. Runanga, taiapure and mataitai committee members and governmental agencies involved in the management of New Zealand fisheries. Additionally it was intended to improve cross-departmental communication and interaction as well as to draw in other universities and research institutes.

The work involved the organisation of two national hui for Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai, at Kati Huirapa, East Otago and at Onuku, Banks Peninsula, attending meetings at the Ministry of Fisheries and the Department of Conservation, liaising with community members throughout the South Island and in various areas of the North Island.

One aspect of the project was the collating of funding possibilities and assisting in writing funding applications for all parties involved, the management of the different projects associated with Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai, organising meetings and supervising students.

Another aspect was the collating and editing of the newsletter 'Kai Korero' which was published twice during that time.

Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai Maori researcher development

CSAFE theme

Interfacing knowledge systems, resilience, systems, cross-cultural research and management, participation, governance, identity, futures

Principal investigator: Pip Pehi

Staff involved: Pip Pehi, Katja Schweikert

Current status

Completed

Brief abstract

• Grant to build the research capacity of new and emerging researchers.
• Grants to facilitate new cross disciplinary and cross programme development

Aligned with BRCSS themes:

• Transmission of wealth/knowledge in a context of demographic change
• Sustainability of diverse households, settlements and communities

Three post-graduate students were mentored and assisted in their postgraduate studies and research throughout this project. Three research internships and projects have been successfully completed: two projects within the Karitane community and one within the Birdlings Flat and Little River communities just outside of Christchurch. This grant also provided the opportunity for postdoctoral fellows and postgraduate students to learn more about project management and leadership and provided for further experience in supervision.

Activities included i) the two local dissemination hui for the above projects, ii) the attendance of the three postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows at the national Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai hui (Whakatane,19th - 23rd February) to present on the results of this project at a national level, and iii) a final debriefing hui for all researchers.

This research also allowed for the TMK team to provide research for communities that aligned with their own identified research agenda and was of benefit to their health and well-being and in their management of local customary fisheries.

Business Development Grant for establishing Te Tipu o Putaiao Fellowships, Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai and Whakamana Whanau research proposals

Principal investigator: Professor Henrik Moller

Subcontractors: Rau Kirikiri & Associates

Staff involved: Henrik Moller

Current status

Completed

Brief abstract

A 0.5$ grant for every $ spent by CSAFE was obtained from three successive grants from DCC's Business Development funds to mount (i) several FRST Te Tipu o Putaiao Fellowships, (ii) the our FRST application for Te Tiaki Mahinga Kai, and (iii) the Whakamana Whanau: Managing metapopulations using matauranga and science for more productive and sustainable fishing bid.

The first two grants enabled us to hold 21 hui/meetings between the CSAFE researchers with iwi/hapu groups, government department stakeholders and collaborating scientists from other agencies spread from Taitokerau (Northland) to Murihiku (Southland). The FRST bid was eventually successful and has helped secure several subsequent successful grant applications, including:

• Tirohia he Huarahi (Marsden Foundation)
• Maori & the RMA
• Postdoctoral Fellowships for Dr Pip Pehi, Dr Chris Hepburn and Dr Katja Sweikert
• Toheroa and Paua restoration projects funded by Ministry of Fisheries
• Te Tipu o Putaiao masters and PhD scholarships for Ani Kainamu, Anne-Marie Jackson and Nicolas Hay (all hosted in other Depts)

The Whakamana Whanau DCC grant enabled us to hold around 25 hui/meetings between the CSAFE researchers with (a) iwi/hapu groups (Hauraki, Ngati Kahungunu, Ngati Awa, Ngai Tahu); (b) government department stakeholders (Ministry of Fisheries & DoC); (c) Industry collaborators (Paua Industry Council, Seafood Council, Te Uhu Kaimoana), (d) Recreational Fishers lobby groups, and (e) collaborating scientists from Victoria University, Manaaki Whenua- Landcare research, Lincoln University and UoO. The bid got through the first round but was then unsuccessful in the final cut. We are convinced that we would not have made it to the last stage without this DCC grant and we hope to rebid elements of the original proposal elsewhere in the coming year. We believe that it would have a splendid chance of success with better Ministry of Fisheries support because it represents a first proposal to operationalise principles of Maori tikanga for sustainability of an important commercial export industry (paua) – it has potential for raising millions of dollars for Maori fisheries interests while restoring stocks to rekindle customary harvests in depleted coastal areas.