Whanganui tuna talkfest focuses on health of eels in rivers

Whanganui eel expert Ben Potaka points the way. At rear are Doug Jones (obscured) and Dion Tuuta. Photo/Bevan Conley

About 150 people converged on the Whanganui War Memorial Centre this week to talk about the health of eel populations in New Zealand rivers.

The second National Tuna Conference was hosted in Whanganui and organised by the Te Wai Maori Trust, the freshwater part of Te Ohu Kaimoana (The Maori Fisheries Trust). Conference catering was done by Mint Cafe and Bar.

Ecologists, politicians, scientists, iwi and commercial eel fishers were among those who attended. Te Wai Maori Trust chairman Ken Mair said it was good to have that cross-section of people all focused on the same topic.

On day two of the conference, Tuesday, Te Ohu Kaimoana chief executive Dion Tuuta and Environmental Protection Authority Maori general manager Doug Jones led a discussion aimed at forming a National Tuna Advisory Group.

It would look to co-ordinate tuna (eel) policy, grow tuna numbers, relate to commercial fishers and monitor results.

Whanganui tuna expert Ben Potaka said he didn't want the eel-fishing industry to determine the fate of tuna.

"We as customary fishers are a Treaty partner. We are not some little NGO. We want to be above them and talk directly to the Crown."

He had earlier spoken about the state of the piharau (lamprey) fishery. Piharau used to be a key food for Whanganui iwi, in their season.

They are now a threatened species, with a disease called lamprey reddening syndrome (LRS).