These bylaws allow the tribe to exercise mana whakahaere in managing the use of the fishery in the rivers, lakes and streams within the Waikato Tainui Fisheries Area. We have an inherent obligation to care for the fisheries taonga gifted to us by our tuupuna. We need to ensure that these taonga are safeguarded for current and future generations.
This round of proposed bylaws focuses on tuna (eels), an iconic taonga species that have sustained our iwi for centuries. Traditional management tools such as raahui for cultural and sustainability purposes are also considered.