Welcome to the summer science series! We're kicking off with two stories made by local podcast producers. First, on New Zealand's quest to become predator free by 2050, are we forgetting about mice? Dan Moskovitz, a student at Victoria University of Wellington, investigates what might happen to mice – and ecosystems as more areas become predator free. Then, a story from Xanthe Smith's Catch On podcast. Many people who consume fish stick to eating the fillets, meaning a substantial chunk of the whole fish gets chucked. A project seeks to tackle this food waste by connecting communities with kaimoana.

Guests:

• Associate Professor Stephen Hartley, Victoria University of Wellington
• Dr Araceli Samaniego
• Brent Bevan, Department of Conservation
• Chris Jupp, Kai Ika
• Vera, Kokiri Marae Naenae Hub

Learn more:

• Listen to more episodes of Catch On, a podcast by Xanthe Smith for the Office of the Prime Minister's Chief Science Advisor
• Find out about the Kai Ika Project
• Dr Araceli Samaniego's paper, Small mice create big problems
• Listen to Voice of Tangaroa for more exploration of ocean issues
• Watch Fight for the Wild, a series about Predator Free 2050

Go to this episode on rnz.co.nz for more details