April 06, 2020
Muttonbirds safe as virus stops harvest
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Don’t expect a feed of fresh muttonbirds any time soon.
Harvest of the delicacy from on the Titi Islands at the bottom of the South Island has been suspended because of the COVID-19 lockdown.
Te Tai Tonga MP Rino Tirikatene says Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu revoked the permits for the former crown mutton birding islands, which was followed by those with rights on the privately-owned beneficial islands also being told to cease their harvest.
That caused some anger among whānau.
"They consider those islands are the safest place to be at a time like this but we are all in self-isolation and the mahi involved in getting everyone's gear and moving and travelling down to the islands is just not safe to be doing at this time," Mr Tirikatene says.
Rino Tirikatene
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