© The University of Waikato
The mātauranga-led restoration project involves Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, with support from University of Waikato marine scientist Professor Kura Paul-Burke and her team.
Back in 2019, there were only 80,000 green-lipped mussels across the entire harbour, with stocks being decimated by a growing population of 11-armed sea stars. Fast-forward to December 2024, and there are now 45 million mussels thriving across 11 hectares of the harbour floor.
“It’s an incredible milestone. What we’re seeing is not just a return of mussels but the re-establishment of a healthy, functioning marine ecosystem,” said Professor Paul-Burke, in a press release from the University of Waikato.
The project has been a step-by-step journey, carefully managed through the removal of the star fish hands-on restorative efforts, and ongoing monitoring.
- 2019 – 80,000 mussels across the harbour
- 2020 – 470,000 mussels following the first seastar removal trials
- 2021 – 800,000 mussels after further restoration efforts
- 2023 – 16 million mussels identified on the seafloor
- 2024 – 45 million mussels covering an 11-hectare area
With an increasing number of adult mussels now present, Professor Paul-Burke’s monitoring shows the beds are becoming more resilient, capable of regenerating naturally and helping to stabilise sediment, improve water quality, and provide a habitat for marine life.
For Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, the project is about more than just numbers; it’s about restoring a vital taonga species and ensuring the harbour remains a thriving food basket for future generations.
“This is exactly what we have been working towards. Seeing the mussel beds regenerate like this is a huge win for Ngāti Awa and the wider community,” said Charlie Bluett, customary fisheries manager at Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa.
The work in Ōhiwa Harbour is also influencing other iwi-led restoration efforts, with Professor Paul-Burke supporting similar projects across the country, including the University of Waikato Pou Rāhui project working with local iwi at Waiheke Island, Thames Coast, Coromandel, Great Barrier Island, and Maraetai-Clevedon.
“The success here is proof that mātauranga Māori is a powerful body of scientific knowledge,” says Professor Paul-Burke. “We’re seeing real, measurable environmental improvements, and that’s what makes this project so exciting.”
To help protect the progress made, the Ministry for Primary Industries has placed a temporary two-year harvesting closure over the mussel beds, giving them time to stabilise and expand further.
“Ensuring these mussels continue to thrive is key,” said Toi Iti, Bay of Plenty Regional Councillor and chair of the Ōhiwa Harbour Implementation Forum. “We’re proud to have been part of this effort from the beginning.”
