Tasman Gillies

Tasman’s moemoea is for the establishment of the Rimurimu Monitoring Array, a kaupapa to restore mahinga kai within Whakaraupō Mātaitai, ensuring the vitality and sustainability for his rohe.

Tasman’s moemoeā…

My moemoea for this project is to restore mahinga kai within Whakaraupō Mātaitai, ensuring the vitality and sustainability of our rohe moana for future generations. This initiative stems from my whanau’s enduring commitment to customary fisheries, led by my poua, Bill Gillies, the first Tangata Tiaki, who established the Rāpaki Mātaitai in 1998. As an appointed Tangata Tiaki myself, I seek to uphold our whanau’s rangatiratanga and continue our customary practices of mahinga kai in harmony with our tikanga.

The core of this project is the restoration of rimurimu (Macrocystis pyrifera), a keystone species essential to the health of our marine ecosystems and mahinga kai. Whakaraupō has suffered significant loss of rimurimu due to marine heatwaves and habitat destruction. By establishing a research monitoring array within the Whakaraupō Mātaitai, we aim to test the viability of growing rimurimu while monitoring the environmental and food safety impacts. This mātauranga will inform the establishment of a permanent kelp farm, supporting a regenerative business model for Ngāti Wheke Tangata Tiaki.

Funds will directly support the construction, deployment, and monitoring of the research arrays. This involves costs for rimurimu propagation, lab work, transport, and the design and deployment of the monitoring structures, which will include scientific instruments for measuring light, temperature, and pollutants. The data gathered will help us assess the kelp’s growth potential.

In partnership with the University of Otago the propagation of rimurimu, sourced from our rohe, has already begun. The project aligns with Environment Canterbury’s Regional Coastal Plan, adhering to permitted activity provisions for scientific arrays. In tandem, we will exercise our rangatiratanga through the South Island Customary Fishing Regulations to safeguard our mahinga kai.

This initiative will restore mahinga kai and strengthen our customs and leadership in the oceans sector.