Story: Waitangi Tribunal – Te Rōpū Whakamana

Whitebaiting, Kaituna River

Whitebaiting, Kaituna River

As this 1931 photo indicates, the Kaituna River, which flows from Lake Rotorua to the Maketū estuary in Bay of Plenty, has traditionally supplied whitebait and eels for the local Ngāti Pikiao people. The river's name refers to its importance as a source of tuna (eels). In 1984 the Waitangi Tribunal upheld a claim by Ngāti Pikiao against a plan to discharge sewage into the river, which would have polluted its food supplies.

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Reference: 1545 PhotoCD 10 IMG 0009

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How to cite this page:

Mark Derby, 'Waitangi Tribunal – Te Rōpū Whakamana - Developing the tribunal, 1980s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/32490/whitebaiting-kaituna-river (accessed 21 April 2024)

Story by Mark Derby, published 20 Jun 2012