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Non-Commercial Wild Food in New Zealand

Appendix 1

Summary of proposals from the Draft Position Paper

• Inclusion of a question on wild food in the Adult Nutrition Survey

Robust data on wild food consumption could be obtained through a stand-alone comprehensive survey of the population but this would involve considerable cost. The Ministry of Health’s existing Adult Nutrition Survey gathers information on average food consumption in New Zealand. The Ministry of Health is due to conduct another Survey in 2007/08, and the inclusion of a question on wild food could give more accurate data on the regularity of consumption of non-commercial foods

• Proposals for Māori

Empowerment of Māori as kaitiaki (guardians, protectors, caretakers); Māori involvement in decision-making, monitoring, surveillance, research, education and evaluation; research into traditional Māori food preparation.

Traditional Māori knowledge about plant and animal species and the wider environment is in many cases locally based, specific to a tribal area, and not always structured in ways compatible with conventional Western scientific methodology.

The Māori Focus Group concluded, and were concerned, that many of the traditions that were valued highly in the past have diminished; that certain rituals practised and respected by Māori, such as knowledge of karakia and culturing/harvesting traditions, are not always being passed on. As a consequence, there is a loss of those aspects of indigenous knowledge that were aimed at keeping Māori safe with regard to the consumption of wild food.

However, customary traditional practices may not address current and new hazards such as environmental issues. As well, cultural boundaries are changing. In many circumstances traditional methods need to adapt to modern circumstances and food safety requirements.

• Work between NZFSA and other government agencies

Improving or establishing inter-agency collaboration between government agencies such as Department of Conservation (DoC), Ministry for the Environment, Ministry of Health, Public Health Units and local and regional governments, in collecting and collating data and disseminating information to key target groups

• Utilising data held by regional councils

Data collected by regional councils under the Resource Management Act (e.g. on poison drops) could be used to develop a greater understanding of the potential for contamination of wild foods. For example, it could assist in conducting risk assessments

• Improved communication with hunters/fishers/gatherers

Developing closer links with recreational organisations, such as hunting and fishing clubs, in order to communicate information about wild food hazards

• Applicability of commercial information to the non-commercial sector

Better use of information aimed at commercial hunters and fishers in relation to traded foods, to assist non-commercial hunters and fishers

• Effective means of disseminating information about the location of poisons

Information about poison drops is sometimes available on the NZFSA website, but it is normally configured for commercial users. There is scope to tailor this existing information for non-commercial users

• NZFSA website

Make NZFSA's website more user friendly and dedicate a section to information relevant to hunting, fishing and harvesting wild food

• Education and awareness campaign

Develop education and awareness campaigns, run on a regular basis, targeting key groups of wild food gatherers, conveying information on risks, times to harvest/hunt or avoid harvesting/hunting, as well as safe food preparation and storage

• Use of Global Positioning (GPS) & Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

The Department of Conservation and the Animal Health Board undertake pest control using toxic agents, recording the location of poison via GPS, while images of the locations are viewed via GIS. This information could be useful to hunters

• Sources of data for possible future collection

A number of government agencies, such as ERMA, DoC and LandCare, collect information that could be accessed and added to the knowledge base on wild foods

Homekill and recreational catch service providers are obliged under the Animal Products Act to keep records of each animal slaughtered. This could be a useful source of information about wild game consumption

• Data on sources of food in cases of foodborne illness

It can be difficult to establish the source of foodborne illness. Investigations into the source of a foodborne illness incident or outbreak are principally undertaken by Health Protection Officers in Public Health Units; developing better approaches to investigating and establishing sources is part of ongoing work being undertaken by NZFSA in conjunction with Ministry of Health, ESR and Public Health Unit staff

• Value of current expenditure of funds on non-commercial food monitoring

Re-evaluate NZFSA's expenditure on wild food-related activities, in terms of cost-effectiveness. While shellfish has been identified as amongst the highest risk wild food, consideration needs to be given to the continued expenditure of $1.5million per annum on monitoring for non-commercial shellfish biotoxins only, in light of other areas of activity relating to managing risk from wild food that could be undertaken

• Scope for future specific research

Possible areas include aspects of wild food preparation and handling; data on harvesting activities; the relationship between pesticide use patterns and residue profiles; and research on biological control of pests (rather than chemical control)