Jenny Marcroft

Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries

Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Oceans and Fisheries Jenny Marcroft has congratulated the country’s longest-standing iwi fisheries forum for its ongoing commitment to the sustainability of New Zealand’s fisheries.

“Ngaa Hapuu o Te Uru o Tainui Fisheries Forum (NHoTU), which celebrated the 25th anniversary on 6 April, was the first of its kind established and has been meeting regularly since the late 1990s. Over this time it has been joined by nine other such forums,” Ms Marcroft says.

NHoTU is a voluntary collective of representatives from west coast hapū and marae covering the area from Waipingao to Te Puaha o Waikato, providing a platform for dialogue and collaboration across the seafood sector including iwi, local Māori commercial fishers and Fisheries New Zealand.

“This forum is an exemplar of a government agency and tangata whenua creating and maintaining a successful working relationship. It paved the way for the model of engagement we see today, with Fisheries New Zealand now working alongside a national network of iwi fisheries forums”, Ms Marcroft says.

“I want to thank members of NHoTU, past and present, for their commitment to sustainable fisheries and congratulate them on this significant milestone, particularly the co-chairs Angeline Greensill and Tom Moana who have been leading the way since the forum started.

“NHoTU was an early adopter of implementing the Kaimoana Customary Fishing Regulations (1998), which saw it accessing customary tools such as mātaitai to protect its rohe moana from early on. They’ve successfully implemented customary tools, promoted sustainable fishing practices, and advocated for the preservation of marine ecosystems.”

The forum was recognised for its outstanding contribution to the sustainability of New Zealand’s fisheries as a finalist for the Tangata Tiaki/Kaitiaki Award at the 2023 Seafood Sustainability Awards.

“This is a group of local people with a passion for preserving the marine environment for future generations. This 25-year milestone is a significant achievement and I look forward to seeing how the forum progresses into the future.”

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