Kumeroa Tuhaka

Kumeroa Tuhaka, 39, is the boss of Civil Defence who recently made headlines after being caught with undersize pāua in a protected area of Akaroa. He admitted to lacking experience in gathering pāua and was unaware of the total number he had collected until fishery officers counted them. His actions have raised concerns regarding the sustainability of pāua populations, which are vital to local tangata whenua for cultural and spiritual reasons.