Last week, iwi, hapū and whānau met at the Te Wai Māori Trust National Freshwater Fisheries Conference in Whangārei to discuss the impacts of climate change on freshwater fisheries.
We heard from an amazing line-up of speakers who shared their expertise and insights about local projects and mātauranga, national frameworks and findings from latest science.
Nicki Douglas (Te Arawa Lakes Trust), Sheridan Waitai (Ngāti Kuri) and Delaraine Armstrong (Ngā Kaitiaki o Ngā Wai Māori) and many others, spoke about iwi-led and hapū-led mahi and how they’re leading local action in response to climate change.
NIWA scientists Eimear Egan and Cindy Baker spoke about the research projects they’re respectively leading which will address some of the gaps in our knowledge about piharau/kanakana, inanga and tuna.
Matua Rereata Makiha, Dee Sciascia and our rangatahi panel also spoke about the importance of mātauranga māori and how the mana of mātauranga māori can be included – interwoven – in national programmes and frameworks.
From these kōrero, it was clear climate change is already having an impact on our waterways – and our taonga freshwater species. Localised action on climate change is needed.
We have started collating the kōrero and whakaaro that came out of the workshop. We’ll be sharing the outcomes from this over the next few months on our website – stay tuned.
You can find the full presentations and videos on the Te Wai Māori Freshwater Fisheries Conference website – click the image below to see the the speaker profiles. Each profile contains a link to their presentation and a video of their kōrero.
For more information, contact as at: info@waimaori.maori.nz
