Māori traditional harvest, knowledge and management of sooty shearwaters (Puffinus griseus) in the Marlborough sounds, New Zealand

Abstract

Traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) can provide valuable insights into historical abundance, ecology and conservation of species. In this study, we interviewed eight Maori kaumatua of Te Atiawa and Ngāti Kuia to document Maori traditional knowledge, or matauranga Maori, of sooty shearwaters (Puffinus griseus) of the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand. Interview questions focused on shearwater abundance, breeding habitat, customary harvest, and traditional management. Matauranga Maori suggests high shearwater abundance historically, as well as traditional harvest protocols and traditional population management techniques no longer in use. Government imposed harvest bans reduced interaction with, and thus matauranga Maori of, sooty shearwaters followed by the species experiencing a worldwide decline in abundance and being classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN. Our study serves as an important reminder that TEK and species abundance often decline in tandem and that cultural harvest must be considered when designing conservation management strategies for species.