The Māori of Aotearoa (New Zealand) have a long and deep connection to their island and ocean ecosystem. Concepts such as rāhui and mataitai are traditional methods of ocean protection that predate modern marine protected areas. Ocean Cultures hopes to support the Mahia Maori Council and their mataitai , a protected area of ocean where tangata whenua manage all non-commercial fishing, on the Mahia Peninsula, by co-developing monitoring tools and programs for water analysis. This partnership contributes to the ongoing documentation of the reefs in preparation for a species transplantation program for paua (abalone) no longer found in the waters.
This project is funded in part by by a Here be Dragons seed grant, a PGK Public Service Fellowship, and a National Geographic Early Career Grant.