Context Although once widespread, tuangi (cockle, Austrovenus stutchburyi), a taonga (sacred) species for local Māori people, have undergone significant declines in Ōhiwa Harbour, prompting local-led aspirations for their restoration. Aims This study demonstrates how balancing mātauranga Māori with ecological modelling can improve understanding of species and habitat relationships and support estuarine management. Methods We combine contextual historical mapping with a predictive Species Distribution Model (SDM) to identify suitable habitats for assessing and monitoring areas for a co-managed and co-implemented shellfish surveying and monitoring program in Ōhiwa Harbour, Aotearoa New Zealand. Species distribution and relative abundance were modelled using a SDM parameterised with Indigenous Knowledge and empirically derived environmental data informed by Iwi (tribal)-identified traditional harvesting areas. Results Model outputs indicated that large areas of Ōhiwa Harbour remain suitable for tuangi, with the higher predicted abundances in shallow sub-tidal and intertidal areas (1 m below mid-tide) characterised by low mud (grain size 0.063 mm) content (20%). Importantly, the models identified extensive areas of potentially suitable habitat beyond historically documented beds. Conclusion By weaving mātauranga Māori with predictive modelling, this study provides a practical example of how plural knowledge systems and technology can inform adaptive place-based management. Implications Improved understanding of potential tuangi distributions supports targeted restoration and monitoring activities and offers a transferable framework for co-governed shellfish conservation in estuaries across Aotearoa and the wider Pacific.
Reihana et al. (Mon,) studied this question.