The Green Desk

This week Bronwyn spoke to tutor and PhD student at University of Canterbury, Ngārie Scartozzi about her "eClean bioreactor" technology which cleans contaminants from water bodies. She has just received a grant of $150,000 from Astrolab and has 12 weeks to build a prototype of the bioreactor which has been the focus of her research for the past 15 years. A key focus of Scartozzi's work is integrating mātauranga Maori with scientific research.

She began by telling us what started her off on this journey.

Whitebait fritters are a nationally iconic delicacy. But if we aren't careful, soon there may not be enough of the fish left to fill those fritters. 

'Whitebait' is really just a catch all term for the juveniles of six species of fish. Five of these are migratory galaxiids, specifically inanga, banded kōkopu, giant kōkopu, kōaro and shortjaw kōkopu. The sixth species is common smelt. Recently, three of these species were updated to the threat status of "at risk/declining" and a fourth being labeled as threatened.  It’s not surprising then, that in a 2018 nationwide survey, 90% of respondents said changes were needed to make New Zealand’s whitebait fishery sustainable. 

Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage believes the answer is through regulation and has made a number of proposals which are currently open to public submission. These include the creation of whitebait refuges, removing traps from nets, and shortening the whitebait fishing season. 

Bronwyn spoke to dedicated conservationist Hans Rook about his thoughts on the sustainability of whitebait fisheries, as well as the proposed regulations. Rook has worked in conservation for 42 years, and has been involved in the creation and protection of whitebait spawning sites since 1987. His unique approach has seen the Hawke’s Bay become the only place in the country to have an increasing whitebait population. 

He began by telling us about the life cycle of the fish species that we know as whitebait.

Earlier this year on Green Desk, Mitchell Fuller spoke to Hugh Wilson from the Hinewai reserve. In July this year there was a film made about the reserve and about Hugh Wilson, the Manager. 
 the Fools and Dreamers film made by Happen Film can be found on YouTube at  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3VZSJKbzyMc&fbclid=IwAR3XF9C5LJ7U1q0no7f4u6Ozt_VCVVmQFDf1zyuHfLAL7wAjINhexPnLf1Q )

We thought we would revisit this story from earlier this year. Mitchell and Hugh discuss the carbon credits system available at Hinewai which has become increasingly popular with large businesses allowing them to offset unavoidable greenhouse gas emissions. The system has allowed the reserve to expand and encompass a significant area on the peninsula which has rejuvenated naturally without planting and minimal pest control. Mitchell begins by asking Hugh a little bit about the history of the Reserve and how its arrived at where its at today. 
 

Male infertility is a serious issue in Australia and Aotearoa and there is currently no medical solution besides ‘getting healthy’ to solve it. It is an issue that isn’t discussed enough throughout society and is responsible for 50% of infertility in couples. This week on Green Desk Mitch speaks to Ateronon founder Sam Hunter about the Tomato Pill. Sam has been on a mission to create the first ever naturally occurring male fertility pill which was based off the information and statistics about the benefits of the mediterrenean diet. He has since developed the tomato pill which has enhanced the bioavailability of the lycopene in tomatoes to increase grade A sperm in men by up to nearly 50%. To begin, Mitch asks Sam what gives the tomato the ability to help with male infertility.