News

At the Endangered Species National Hui, freshwater fisheries scientist and University of Waikato PhD candidate Siobhan Nuri took the audience on a journey through the lives of one of our most remarkable but declining freshwater taonga: tuna.

Aotearoa freshwater fish are in crisis, with 76% threatened or at risk of extinction. Species like tuna and īnanga rely on connected waterways to survive, yet barriers, habitat loss and degraded rivers are driving decline. Restoring river connectivity, protecting habitats, and supporting iwi-led solutions are critical to ensuring these taonga species can complete their lifecycles and thrive.