Welcome to Te Ohu Kaimoana
(Māori Fisheries Trust)
We work to advance Māori interests in the marine environment, including customary fisheries, commercial fisheries and aquaculture as well as providing policy and fisheries management advice to iwi and the wider Māori community.
Here you will find out everything you need to know about our organisation and the work that we do.
Te Ohu Kaimoana News
What the international literature says about Marine Protected Areas
Prof. Gary Libecap is renowned for his work in environmental economics. So, we asked him to undertake some study, to find [...]
Our plan to save New Zealand’s fish and New Zealand jobs
25 June 2019 Tarakihi is the fish of New Zealand, with more than 90% of our catch being sold within Aotearoa. It [...]
Eastern Tarakihi Management Strategy and Rebuild Plan
Te Ohu Kaimoana, Fisheries Inshore New Zealand and Southern Inshore Fisheries present to Iwi our Eastern Tarakihi Management Strategy and Rebuild Plan. Building on [...]
Our Purpose
Te Ohu Kaimoana advances the interests of iwi individually and collectively, primarily in the development of fisheries, fishing, and fisheries-related activities. Through overseeing and managing aspects of the Māori Fisheries Settlement, Te Ohu Kaimoana works to ensure Settlement assets ultimately benefit all Māori and that the Crown discharges its obligations under the fisheries agreements and the Treaty of Waitangi. Our organisation is charged with ensuring that the Settlement endures for future generations of Māori.
Our Origins
Te Ohu Kaimoana has its origins in the historic Māori Fisheries Settlement between Māori and the Crown in 1992. The Māori Fisheries Settlement is the only pan-Māori, pan-iwi settlement so far resolved, giving Te Ohu Kaimoana a constitutionally important position in the context of Crown-Māori relations. Our organisation is responsible for ensuring the durability of the Settlement for future generations of Māori.
Who are we
Settlement History
The Māori Fisheries Settlement is the first and only pan-iwi settlement between Māori and the Crown. Concluded in 1992, the Settlement is designed to deliver benefits ultimately to all Māori.
Governance Structure
Our organisation is governed by a board of seven directors who provide a mix of skills including tikanga, leadership, management and strategic business skills.
Our Organisation
Te Ohu Kaimoana works on behalf of iwi on marine environment matters, and maintains relationships with fishing industry groups, government agencies, Parliament and Ministers.
Our People
Te Ohu Kaimoana employs a dedicated group of policy advisers, analysts and fisheries management specialists and specific experts from time to time.
Māori Fisheries Act
Te Ohu Kaimoana was created by statute – the Māori Fisheries Act 2004. Click here to be taken through to an online version of the Act.
Corporate documents
Read or download copies of our latest annual report, strategic plan, media releases, newsletters, and other information about our organisation.
Policy Advisory Services
Te Ohu Kaimoana provides fisheries advisory services to iwi, the Māori Fisheries Settlement entities and industry groups. Our policy team includes analysts with many years’ experience in fisheries and public policy, as well as enthusiastic and motivated university qualified staff.
Fisheries Management
We provide advice on a variety of fisheries management issues, from stock abundance and sustainability, regulations around fisheries compliance, marine protected areas, mātaitai, taiāpure, customary regulations, aquaculture management and others.
Customary Fisheries
Ongoing development of the customary fisheries regulations is one of Te Ohu Kaimoana’s major functions. Only Māori have access to customary fisheries. For many years, we have been working on ways that customary fishing can be efficiently and better managed.
Aquaculture
Te Ohu Kaimoana has responsibilities under the Māori Commercial Aquaculture Settlement Act, where iwi organisations are to receive 20 percent of designated Aquaculture Management Areas. We have statutory obligations to work with iwi in the allocation of the Māori share of AMAs in the development of aquaculture in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Allocation
A primary function of Te Ohu Kaimoana has been focussed on the allocation of Māori Fisheries Settlement assets to iwi. Since the Māori Fisheries Act 2004 was passed, Te Ohu has allocated almost all the Settlement to, resulting in more than $500 million of fisheries assets placed in Māori ownership and management.
Communications
An important role of Te Ohu Kaimoana is maintaining effective communication with our iwi stakeholders, to keep them informed of important legislative, regulatory and policy developments that affect the value of their investment and assets from the Māori Fisheries Settlement. As iwi’s representative for universal fisheries issues, Te Ohu Kaimoana engages and liaises with a range of sectors.