Connect with experts

Meet the experts and replay web conferences

Find out about your experts who know the science and mātauranga Māori of kūtai (mussels).

Nicola is CE of Ngāti Manuhiri & Co-leader of the Kohunga Kutai project.

Brad is a Research fellow.

Te Ao is Kaiārahi Taiao Ngāti Manuhiri/ Ngāti Wai.

The following questions from schools are answered by Nicola, Brad and Te Ao in web conference 1:

How long does it take for a flax bush to grow into an adult bush for cutting?
How many different types of mussels are there in New Zealand and what types are grown on the mussel farms?
Why were there so many mussel beds destroyed in the 1970s and what are the numbers of mussels you are allowed to take from the sea?
How long does it take to make a natural fibre rope?
How many mussel farms are there in New Zealand and what is the average load of mussels pulled from one rope on a mussel farm?
What places in New Zealand are mussel hot spots?

The following questions from schools are answered by Nicola, Brad and Te Ao in web conference 2:

How do marine reserves affect the overall fish population?
If over time, creatures like fish have evolved and adapted to problems that face them, why can't they adapt to modern problems like commercial fishing and global warming?
How can we prevent too much phytoplankton growth from harming sea plants and creatures?
How long will natural plant fibre ropes last, compared to plastic ones, and are they cost efficient?
How does waste from aquaculture farms affect the surrounding marine ecosystem?
If our marine wildlife are dying because of plastic and litter, is there a long term way to fix this worldwide problem?

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