Te Whānau Moana/Te Rorohuri hapū of Ngāti Kahu iwi are mana whenua of Karikari Peninsula and are those ultimately responsible for the lands, seas, environment and people residing there. For several decades now they have been concerned about the degradation of their fisheries resources, mainly through overfishing. The area in and around Maitai Bay is of particular concern. It is an important kāpata kai (seafood source) of Te Whānau Moana/Te Rorohuri. However, the camping ground currently managed by the Department of Conservation at Waikura, adjacent to Maitai, attracts large numbers of people and many recreational fishing boats. For over two decades, the seafood resources in the Bay have been increasingly depleted.
In 2017 Te Whānau Moana/Te Rorohuri laid a rāhui over the area to stop all fishing and taking of seafood in order to allow the area to recover.
A Haititaimarangai Marae subcommittee had been mandated to lead the rahui project, which took just over a year including consultation, fundraising and pou carving.