Opportunities for modern genetic technologies to maintain and enhance Aotearoa New Zealand’s bioheritage

In the past few years genetic technologies springing from advances in DNA sequencing (so-called high-throughput sequencing), and/or from CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, have been proposed as being useful in bioheritage research. The potential scope for the use of these genetic technologies in bioheritage is vast, including enabling the recovery of threatened species, engineering proxies of extinct species and genetically controlling pests. While these technologies are often complex, they provide new opportunities that may help support New Zealand’s beleaguered flora and fauna, and thus warrant scientific examination. Here we discuss these genetic technologies, focussing on scientific benefits and risks of each. We also acknowledge the social, cultural, ethical and regulatory constraints on their use, with emphasis on the importance of partnership with tangata whenua to determine when, whether or how these technologies should be used in enhancing New Zealand’s bioheritage. We hope this will provide source material to support future decision making around the use of new genetic technologies in bioheritage.