Te Ohu Kaimoana

As of 26 July 2026, iwi have officially taken direct control of the process for appointing directors to Māori fisheries settlement entities Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (trading as Moana New Zealand) and Te Ohu Kaimoana through the implementation and commencement of the Māori Fisheries Amendment Act 2024 (MFAA), marking the largest reform of Māori fisheries governance in over 20 years.

Moana New Zealand is the largest Māori-owned seafood company in Aotearoa and also owns 50% of the largest deepwater fishing company in Aotearoa, Sealord Group Limited (in partnership with Japanese company Nissui Corporation). The actualisation of these amendments is a result of the resolutions and vision of iwi following a statutory review of the Māori fisheries settlement entities in 2015, which sought to move iwi towards a greater level of rangatiratanga in fisheries.

“This is an exceptionally proud moment and achievement for Māori, a testament to the contribution of a vast number of people over the past decade, and the original fight and work of the settlement negotiators in the late 1980s and early 1990s. This is the evolution and progression of the Māori fisheries settlement, where the power rightfully shifts directly back into the hands of those it belongs. It truly provides iwi with an increased and tangible sense of control and responsibility.”, says Pahia Turia, Tumu Whakarae (Chair) of Te Ohu Kaimoana.

The MFAA disestablishes former statutory governance body, Te Kāwai Taumata, which had the responsibility of appointing directors to Te Ohu Kaimoana, and who then appointed the directors of Moana New Zealand. Mandated and Recognised Iwi Organisations and Representative Māori Organisations will now vote for and appoint directors to Te Ohu Kaimoana, while iwi Asset Holding Companies will vote for and appoint directors to Moana New Zealand.

From the 27 July 2026, Asset Holding Companies will receive the 20% shareholding previously held by Te Ohu Kaimoana, allocated in proportion to their existing shareholdings in Aotearoa Fisheries Limited.

Te Ohu Kaimoana has developed an implementation plan and will continue to support its stakeholders to oversee the establishment of director appointment models and the inaugural appointment cycles for both Te Ohu Kaimoana and Aotearoa Fisheries.

Applications for the prestigious Global Fisheries Scholarship close on Friday 24 July at 5:00pm. Don’t miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime.

If you or someone you know might be interested in applying for the GFS, please make sure to share this opportunity with them.

For more information or to apply, visit the Global Fisheries Scholarship page on our website (https://bit.ly/4vt4Ok9).

The six-month scholarship open for Māori who are seeking a rewarding career in the seafood industry. It is open to a committed, hardworking individual to spend six months at Nissui, Moana New Zealand’s 50% partner in Sealord Group Limited, in Japan.

The scholar will be learning aspects of the seafood industry from aquaculture to processing, food safety to food technology, sales and marketing, all while immersing themselves in daily Japanese life.

Te Ohu Kaimoana is seeking applicants who are Māori and have studied or who work in fisheries management, aquaculture, marine biology, business management and fisheries or food processing, legal or accounting and are looking at a career in the New Zealand seafood industry.

Te Ohu Kaimoana is pleased to present the Final Director Appointment Models Information Pack (read here: https://bit.ly/4eS1clK) for Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Limited (TOKMTL) and Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (AFL) – in accordance with the Māori Fisheries Amendment Act 2024 (MFAA).

The pack contains the final director appointment process models for both TOKMTL and AFL with supporting governance documentation, including:

- Terms of Reference
- Nominations Committee Charters
- Director Appointment Policies and Procedures
- Director Criteria and Qualifications Transitional Policy (TOKMTL only)
- TOKMTL and AFL Constitutions and Tables of Amendments
- Schedule 3 of the MFA

Also included in the information pack (and in accordance with the requirements of the MFAA), Te Ohu Kaimoana provides notice of amendments to the Constitution of Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (AFL).

The amendments give effect to the MFAA and ensure the AFL Constitution is fully aligned with the amended statutory framework from 26 July 2026. In practical terms, the amendments:

- align the Constitution with the updated statutory settings introduced by the MFAA;
- implement governance and administrative changes required under the amended framework; and
- modernise drafting to improve clarity, consistency, and usability.

Thank you to all Mandated Iwi Organisations, Recognised Iwi Organisations, Representative Māori Organisations and Asset Holding Companies who participated in the consultation process on the proposed director appointment models.

For background information and further context regarding this information pack, please visit our website: https://bit.ly/4f3Cdee

In accordance with the Māori Fisheries Amendment Act 2024 (MFAA), Te Ohu Kaimoana is pleased to provide you with the amended constitutions for Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Limited, Te Wai Māori Trustee Limited and Te Pūtea Whakatupu Trustee Limited.

Please note: the Constitution for Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (AFL) will be circulated separately, along with the final director appointment process models for TOKMTL and AFL, and the Moana New Zealand Asset Disposal Policy next week, 29 June - 5 July 2026.

The amendments to the constitutions give effect to the Māori Fisheries Amendment Act 2024 (MFAA), which was passed in July 2024 and introduces material changes to the Māori Fisheries Act 2004 following the statutory review which commenced in 2014.

These amendments are required to ensure the constitutions are fully aligned with the MFAA from its effective date of 26 July 2026. For more information and to access the information pack, click here: https://bit.ly/4g2DYdJ

Te Ohu Kaimoana is proud to announce it is now accepting applications for the prestigious Global Fisheries Scholarship (GFS) in Japan for 2027.

The GFS is a six-month scholarship open for Māori who are seeking a rewarding career in the seafood industry. The scholarship was established in 2001 as a joint initiative between Te Ohu Kaimoana and Japanese company Nissui Corporation as an innovative programme to develop and grow the skills of Māori wanting to work or already employed in the seafood industry of Aotearoa.

“Te Ohu Kaimoana is honoured to once again manage the Global Fisheries Scholarship. Being able to provide a once in a lifetime opportunity for Māori interested in a career in the seafood sector is one of the many exciting actualisations of the Māori fisheries settlement we are proud to support”, said Brianna Boxall (Interim Chief Executive) of Te Ohu Kaimoana.

The scholarship, now in its 25th year is well regarded in the seafood industry. It is open to a committed, hardworking individual to spend six months at Nissui, Moana New Zealand’s 50% partner in Sealord Group Limited, in Japan. The scholar will be learning aspects of the seafood industry from aquaculture to processing, food safety to food technology, sales and marketing, all while immersing themselves in daily Japanese life.

“As a Kāhui we hold a long-term view and investment in this industry; values that are shared by our partner Nissui, so this scholarship complements both of our cultures by investing in our people for the future.”, said Boxall.

Te Ohu Kaimoana is seeking applicants who are Māori and have studied or who work in fisheries management, aquaculture, marine biology, business management and fisheries or food processing, legal or accounting and are looking at a career in the New Zealand seafood industry.

For more information or to apply, visit the Global Fisheries Scholarship page on our website (https://bit.ly/4vt4Ok9). Applications close on 5pm Friday 24th July 2026.

Te Ohu Kaimoana wishes to acknowledge the passing of Dr Ian Ruru (Te Aitanga-a-Māhaki, Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tai, Te Whakatōhea, Rongowhakaata). Ian served faithfully on the Board of Te Wai Māori Trust as an Alternate Director since 2019; was a member of Te Mana o ngā Tuna rōpū and had also previously worked for Te Ohu Kaimoana as a stock assessment scientist.

Ian was a renowned leader, advocate and expert on tuna, having been inspired and taught by his late father Bill. Ian and Bill delivered hundreds of wānanga together to over 300 marae across Aotearoa, imparting their deep knowledge of mātauranga Māori, customary fishing and aquaculture among many practitioners and enthusiasts.

He was integral and well known for his leading role in the development of the Mauri Compass tool, which helps to assist kaitiaki with the restoration of mauri to ancestral rivers; enabling the health and wellbeing of indigenous freshwater species.

Ian was an exceptionally well respected and regarded figure in Te Tairāwhiti and across Te Ao Māori through governance roles, involvement and leadership the science community, roles in government, and exemplary and visionary impact in the freshwater space.

Ian will be missed tremendously, and leaves an incredible and enduring legacy. We extend our deepest sympathies and love to the Ruru and Shivnan whānau at this time.

Moe mai rā e te Rangatira 🌿🕊️💫

Te Ohu Kaimoana wishes to congratulate and acknowledge the service of our Deputy Chair and Director Dion Tuuta who has been successfully appointed the new Secretary for Māori Development and Chief Executive of Te Puni Kōkiri (the Ministry for Māori Development).

Tuuta has had a long affiliation with Te Ohu Kaimoana, having previously served as the Chief Executive from 2016 to 2020, before returning home to serve as the Chief Executive of Te Kotahitanga o Te Ātiawa, and more recently as interim Chief Executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga. He returned to Te Ohu Kaimoana as a director in December of 2023 and was appointed Deputy Chair in March of 2024. He also served as acting Chair during a large portion of 2025.

“Dion has made a significant contribution to our Board and wider Kāhui through a period of considerable change and challenge. His depth of knowledge, strategic leadership and ability to navigate complexity has been instrumental for our Board over the past three-years.,” said Chair Pahia Turia.

“What has always stood out about Dion is his ability to consistently provide thoughtful leadership, strong values and a deep sense of responsibility to his governance roles. While we will miss his contribution to Te Ohu Kaimoana, we know his appointment is a significant gain for Māori and for the public service.”

Throughout his service, Dion has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to our people, to protecting and advancing the mana of the Māori fisheries settlement, and to upholding the rights guaranteed through the settlement.

Dion will conclude his role as Deputy Chair and Director at the end of June. On behalf of Te Ohu Kaimoana and our wider kāhui thank Dion for his contribution and wish him, his wife Rose, and their whānau well on this next chapter together.

Te Ohu Kaimoana and Nissui Corporation are proud to announce that the successful recipient of the Global Fisheries Scholarship for 2026 is Daria Bell (Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Te Arawa, Ngāti Maniapoto).

The Global Fisheries Scholarship is an annual opportunity for Māori who are seeking a rewarding career in the seafood industry. The successful scholar spends six months fully immersed in Japanese culture and language while working at Nissui Corporation in Tokyo, Japan.

“I see this experience as a turning point, an opportunity to gain clarity about the direction I want to take. I know that the knowledge, exposure, and personal growth I gain in Japan will shape my goals in ways I can’t fully predict yet. However, my overall aspiration is continuing to be a kaitiaki, strengthening my skills in marine science and restoration, and finding the pathways that allow me to serve my whānau and taiao”, said Bell.

The scholarship was established in 2001 as a joint initiative between Te Ohu Kaimoana and Japanese company Nissui Corporation as an innovative programme to develop and grow the skills of Māori wanting to work or already employed in the seafood industry of Aotearoa.

“I am looking forward to spending time at the Marine Centre in Ōita, where aquaculture research and development are at the forefront. I’ve always viewed aquaculture as a powerful tool for restoration projects and to see the innovations being made and how they might support the health of our own marine ecosystems. As someone who carries both scientific training and mātauranga Māori, I’m eager to explore how Indigenous knowledge systems can sit alongside modern aquaculture technologies.”

Bell currently works at iwi-owned seafood company Moana New Zealand as a Hatchery Technician and holds a Bachelor of Science Major in Aquaculture and Master of Science in Environmental Management. She is scheduled to travel to Japan in July of 2026.

Te Ohu Kaimoana is seeking 2x highly skilled and values-aligned Māori governance professionals to join the Board of Te Wai Māori Trustee Limited (Te Wai Māori Trust); a nationally focused kaupapa Māori charitable trust established under the Māori Fisheries Act 2004 to advance Māori interests in freshwater fisheries.

They will serve a crucial role providing strategic leadership and oversight, ensuring the effective management of trust funds and the effective delivery of the organisation's strategy. Directors are responsible for making quality decisions in line with the Te Wai Māori Trustee Limited Constitution, the Te Wai Māori Trust Deed, responsibilities under the Māori Fisheries Act, and in accordance with tikanga Māori.

To find out more about Te Wai Māori Trust, the role, who we are seeking and how to apply, please read the full advertisement on our website: https://bit.ly/43msLgi

Applications close on Friday 5 June 2026.

On Monday our team spoke at the Primary Production Select Committee in support of our response to the Fisheries Amendment Bill. You can watch our oral submission at the Primary Production Committee at 2:10:50 here: https://bit.ly/3Pv9mGW). You can also read a copy of our written response to the Bill here: https://bit.ly/3PUud6B.

We see the Bill as an important step toward modernising fisheries management.

However, we need to ensure the system:
⚖️ Upholds Treaty commitments and obligations
👥 Enables meaningful iwi participation and that decisions reflect iwi feedback
💪 Maintains strong and practical safeguards with sustainability remaining a cornerstone of decisions

We would like to thank our iwi and kaimahi for their time and contribution to this important kaupapa.

Pictured left to right: Avalon Adams, Kylie Grigg, Brianna Boxall, Te Puea Dempsey.