kaitiaki, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui must ensure that all these resources are protected for future generations. Motueka Tasman Bay, from Separation Point across to Stephens Island, formed part of the maritime highways of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a-Māui. Our ships would leave Mōhua bound for Queen Charlotte Sound navigating acr oss these waters. Th e 34-foot schooner of Tamati Pirimona Marino, named the Ere na, shipped coal from M assacre Bay, pigs and potatoes from Queen Charlotte Sound , and passengers to the N orth Island. Separation Point to Marahau suited the mobile lifestyle of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui which was based on seasonal fishing gathering and horticulture. This area had easily accessible bays and estuaries, afforded fresh water and a range of food resources. The lands were comparatively sheltered and contained pockets of sandy flat land suitable for horticulture. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui had sites right around the coast with the majority of occupation sites locad in the sheltered bays. Kumara storage pits were sited on te readily accessible well-drained ridges around the living areas. Pā were placed on natural defensive featur es (cliffs) with a panoramic outloo k, such as prominent headlands, particularly w only by a narrow and therefore easily here the headlands were accessible defended ri dge. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui had occupation sites from Awaroa to Anapai and also occupied Tau po Point, Mutton Cove, Mosquito Bay, Boundary Bay, Torrent Bay, Te Pukatea Bay, Bark Bay, Awaroa, Tōtaranui, and Whariwharangi, Adele and Fishermans Islands. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui papkāinga at Tōtaranui was on the peninsula adjoining the lagoon at the north end of the bay. Pā, kāinga and fishing settlements occupied much of the peninsula at Te Matau which is one of the boundary points between the various hapū within Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui. Awaroa, the papakāinga of Mere Nako and her whānau, was a favoured fishing ground, and Me re als o gathered harakeke for weav ing at this site. Along the coastline Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui hunted an abundance of bird life, including the kōkako in the forests around Torrent Bay, and pūkeko around the beaches, estuaries and wetlands. A range of wading birds stalk the estuaries for fish and shellfish while offshore gannets shags and terns can be seen diving for food, and the little blue penguins feed at sea during the day and return to their burrows. The fishing within Tasman Bay was pristine due to the lowland nature of the area and its proximity to the sea. The rivers and streams along the coastline have a diversity of native freshwater fish, such as the sh ort-jawed and giant kōkopu, as well as long-finned eels. The regular influx of nutrients from the sea tides also su pports food for a range of coastal birds. The rocky coastline habitants like the periwinkles, tubeworms, neptunes necklace, pink algae, sea urchins, turban shells and seaweed were important kaimoana for the hapū. The fur seals tha t gathered along the coast on the more remote granite headlands of Separation Point, Tonga Island and Pinnacle Island, provided clothing for Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui. Along the coastline, black beech is the natural cover of the dry ridges and headlands close to the sea, with hard beech further inland where more moisture is available. Kanuka occurs where there have been windfalls or a history of fires. Manuka occurs where repeated burning has degraded the soil. Tree ferns, kiekie and supplejack remain in the gullies and are leading the regeneration process. Marahau and Sandy Bay are both important mahinga kai for Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui whānau. Kaiteriteri formed another extensive occupation, cultivation and fishing station complex. The cliffs contain burial caves with a tauranga waka at the mouth of Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 141 of 163