In mid December, Māori from across Aotearoa gathered on Aotea Great Barrier Island to declare a state of emergency on
the health of our oceans. “Mauri o te Moana”, a group focussed on giving voice to this issue, was established from this
gathering. There was a unanimous call to halt the systematic destruction of our oceans.
With the recent announcement from the Government to declare a climate emergency in Aotearoa, we, Mauri o te Moana, are
asserting our rangatiratanga to demand an immediate change on how we, as a nation, interact with our ocean.We are at a tipping point.
The oceans are the lungs of the earth and our biggest carbon sink. Kelly Klink Ngāti Rehua Ngāti Wai ki Aotea says,
“there is no more time for tinkering. Urgent transformational action is needed to reverse the damage caused by human
exploitation of this eco-system and the lungs of our earth. The evidence is clear and has taught us that when we reduce
human impact the floor of the ocean can and will revive”.
We call on the New Zealand government, and local and regional councils, to halt further exploitation and wanton
destruction of our waterways. We can no longer afford to use the oceans as our dumping grounds for human waste. We must
put a stop to over-fishing and ocean pollution.
Bianca Ranson, Ngāti Kahu ki Whangaroa, Ngāpuhi says, “we have witnessed what has happened to our ocean over the last
few decades: the memories of clear water, shells and birdlife on the beach and an abundance of kaimoana – those days are
gone. We now see sedimentation, and a sparsity of marine life. Mauri o te Moana is growing into an extensive network
throughout Aotearoa. We will support the voice and action of Māori working directly to protect the mauri of the moana
and those who are asserting their rangatiratanga within their rohe. We will not stop fighting for the protection of our
oceans until it is free of dredging, dumping, extraction, over- fishing, the desecration of traditional fishing grounds
and pollution.”
We are now calling on you to join us in this movement to demand an immediate change on how we, as a nation, interact
with our oceans. 3-7 Feb, Kāretu Marae, Te Tai Tokerau. To register please email mauriotemoana@gmail.com