New hapū-led biosecurity framework boosts early detection in Northland

Te Ruarangi co-chair and Te Tira Taiao o Te Taitokerau lead Nyze Manuel. Photo / NRC

A first-of-its-kind hapū-led biosecurity response framework has launched in Northland.

The framework, Te Tira Taiao o Te Taitokerau, was born from a rapid response to the invasive seaweed caulerpa last year.

Ngāti Kuta and Patukeha put out a call for help after discovering tonnes of exotic caulerpa at Ōmakiwi Cove in Rāwhiti.

Hapū volunteers responded and removed more than 300 tonnes of the highly invasive seaweed that had formed a dense, knee-high mat of weed.

Those actions have been praised as the catalyst for the new framework.

Te Ruarangi co-chair and Te Tira Taiao o Te Taitokerau lead Nyze Manuel said Te Tira Taiao o Te Taitokerau brings together hapū, Northland Regional Council (NRC) and the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) to respond quickly and effectively to emerging biosecurity threats.

“It’s a model based on hapū concern,” she said.

“We’ve been working in what people might call underground, but really we were just doing what our tūpuna have always done ki mai rānō [forever] – noticing changes in our taiao and discussing our concerns collectively.”

Manuel said the framework draws on long-established hapū relationships, tikanga and local knowledge, first tested during Covid through the Te Taitokerau Border Control.

“This network isn’t something new – it’s whakapapa, it’s whanaungatanga and it’s been stood up because of the condition of our taiao.

“What’s different now is that this way of working is being formally recognised and supported by councils and other agencies.”

Manuel said a key focus was normalising conversations about biosecurity risks so people know what to look for, why it matters and what to do if they find something.

When the exotic caulerpa response pilot launched last year, Manuel said many people didn’t know what it was, what signs to look for or how to report it.

Hundreds of tonnes of caulerpa washed up on Bay of Islands beaches during ex-tropical cyclone Tam.

In response, Te Tira Taiao o Te Taitokerau rolled out locally tailored signage funded by MPI, hapū-led engagement and clear reporting pathways across high-use areas in Northland, including boat ramps, marinas and coastal access points.

While leadership sits with hapū, the framework works in partnership with regional and central government agencies – including NRC and MPI – to ensure information flows quickly and appropriate action can be taken.

NRC deputy chair Jack Craw, who chairs the council’s Biosecurity and Biodiversity Working Party, said the framework significantly strengthens early detection by increasing the number of trusted “eyes on the water”, particularly in remote coastal areas.

“It reflects the reality that locals are often the first to notice change,” he said.

“People who’ve dived, fished or gathered kai in the same places their whole lives will notice something different straight away.”

Craw said local knowledge had been critical in identifying exotic caulerpa early in places like Aotea and the Bay of Islands.

The framework also recognises that biosecurity threats are not just environmental or economic, but impact cultural practices, identity, wellbeing and intergenerational relationships with the whenua and moana.

The framework is supported through MPI funding, with NRC focused on enabling and resourcing community-led action.