Food for Good
2022 AWARD FINALIST
Sponsored by New World
The Kai Ika Project collects and distributes fish heads and frames which would otherwise be sent to landfill. The project launched in 2016 through a collaboration between the Outboard Boating Club of Auckland, LegaSea and Papatuanuku Kokiri marae. It is a head-to-tail solution to encourage people to be more appreciative of the entire fish they catch.
The Kai Ika team provides fish filleting services and uses the leftover kai moana for a variety of food and gardening purposes. The Papatuanuku Kokiri marae supports the distribution of the fish heads and frames to Auckland families who value these fish parts. The remaining parts of the fish are used to make fish stock and Kai Ika fish soup. The offal is used as organic fertiliser in the marae community gardens, where there is a focus on regenerative gardening practices.
Since the inception of the Kai Ika project, over 135,000 kg of fish parts have been distributed to feed Auckland families.