Celebrating Matariki with Kūtai Mussel Regeneration

In celebration of the first ever national public holiday for Matariki on June 24, an invited contingent boarded boats at Sandspit for the short trip out to Motu Reka Reka and Motu Kete Kete. These islands lie off Martins Bay, just north of the mouth of the Mahurangi Harbour.

Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust, working in collaboration with Revive Our Gulf as kaitiaki and tiaki, has a mission to restore te moana with a focus on their rohe or tribal areas. Ngāti Manuhiri is dedicated to deploying 150 tonnes of kūtai (mussel spat) sustainably and effectively into te moana in order to regenerate mussel beds.

Representatives from many of the organisations contributing to and supporting the program took part in the ceremonial deployment of mussels on the day.