Te Ohu Kaimoana Policy Analyst first Kiwi in Iceland fisheries residency

Te Ohu Kaimoana is proud to support Policy Analyst, Te Aomihia Walker as she prepares to embark on a 6-month residency in Iceland next week as Aotearoa’s first fellow to attend the internationally acclaimed UNESCO GRÓ Fisheries Training Programme.

Te Aomihia, along with other international fellows, will undergo a programme of both practical and theoretical study to gain a holistic overview of international fisheries with a focus on fisheries policy and management.

Alongside this, Te Aomihia hopes to provide an indigenous perspective on the fisheries and marine environmental management sectors through sharing elements of Te Ao Māori and Mātauranga Māori with her international peers.

“I am really excited to learn how the Nordic worldview has shaped Iceland’s fisheries management system and analyse whether their own unique tikanga has had much influence on this.

“Iceland is one of the few other countries to adopt the Quota Management System, much like we have here in Aotearoa – so this offers a great comparison analysis,” says Te Aomihia.

Te Aomihia is also an inaugural recipient of the Sue Taei Ocean Fellowship, a fund which provides indigenous women of the Pasifika financial support to pursue education in the oceans sector.

“I feel very humbled and privileged to be the first person from Aotearoa to partake in this amazing opportunity in Iceland, however, all of this would not have been possible without the generous support of the Sue Taei Ocean Fellowship who have funded a significant portion of my programme – to which I am eternally grateful.”

Following the residential programme, Te Aomihia will complete the fellowship with a research project that aims to develop a tikanga-based framework to help guide Aotearoa’s fisheries and marine management system.

“I am looking forward to applying the knowledge gained from this experience to give back to my own whānau, marae, hapū and iwi, and within my mahi at Te Ohu Kaimoana as we work to protect and advance the interests of Māori in the marine environment.

“I truly hope that by securing relationships over in Iceland, I can leave this doorway open for future Māori professionals in the pursuit of excellence in the fisheries sector.”

Te Aomihia is still seeking funding to cover the remaining study programme costs, if you or your organisation would like to contribute, please contact ika@teohu.maori.nz.

Updates on Te Aomihia’s Icelandic journey will be posted to Te Ohu Kaimoana’s Facebook page.