Kai Ika wins commendation at sustainability awards

The Kai Ika healthy food and waste minimisation project wins Commendation at NZ’s top Sustainability Awards.

The Kai Ika food project has won a Commendation at the 2018 NZI Sustainable Business Network Awards in the ‘Transforming Food’ category. The initiative sees fish heads and frames from Central Auckland’s Outboard Boating Club (OBC) recreational fishermen being contributed to the Papatuanuku Kokiri Marae Healthy Food Programme in Mangere.

Running for 16 years, these are the pre-eminent sustainability awards in New Zealand. They were presented at a black tie ceremony on Auckland’s waterfront on Thursday 22 November.

LegaSea Programme Lead, Sam Woolford, said LegaSea is proud to be part of this innovative project which recognises the fish heads and frames for what they are – a true delicacy.

“Working alongside organisations like OBC, Westhaven Marina and Papatuanuku Kokiri Marae is inspirational. Their leadership and commitment to the Kai Ika Project and each other gives me confidence that together we can have a positive impact on our marine environment and our community.”

The Kai Ika project is a partnership between the OBC, LegaSea and Papatuanuku Kokiri Marae in Mangere. Since its introduction in 2016, the club’s specially constructed fish filleting facility has provided 21,000kg of fish heads(regarded as Rangatira Kai ‘chiefly food’ by Maori) along with fish frames and offal to the marae for its healthy food programme.

The fish heads and tails are distributed to local families, churches, soup kitchens and other marae in South Auckland while fish offal is used to fertilise the marae’s growing vegetable gardens which include kumara, kale, rocket, beans, chillies and herbs.

OBC Commodore, Bill Berry, says the 2000 members of our club are very proud of their involvement in the Kai Ika project through its fish filleting facilities which are an important part of the club’s sustainability goals.

“Our members play a valuable role by filleting fish on site and collecting the heads , frames and offal for distribution to the marae. This provides a winning environmental solution to the disposal of fish waste by turning it into a social benefit.”

Having been run so successfully as a pilot at the OBC, the Kai Ika Project continues to grow and LegaSea, which represents the NZ Sports Fishing Council, plans to expand the Kai Ika project in Auckland through the support of Westhaven Marina and in Wellington through the Mana Cruising Club and local iwi.