Welcome to Te Wai Māori
the Māori Freshwater Fisheries Trust
Te Wai Māori was established under the Maori Fisheries Act 2004 to advance Māori interests in freshwater fisheries. Protecting Māori interests in freshwater fisheries ultimately means protecting habitat to ensure quality water and abundant species. Freshwater fisheries include species, habitat, surrounding land, water column, water quality and quantity. We are a product of the Deed of Settlement (Māori Fisheries Settlement) 1992 and an entity of Te Ohu Kai Moana Group
Māori Freshwater Fisheries Conference 2026 in Heretaunga
Te Wai Māori is proud to host the Māori Freshwater Fisheries Conference 2026, bringing together kaitiaki, iwi, hapū, researchers and environmental kaimahi from across Aotearoa to share knowledge, strengthen connections and shape the future of Māori freshwater fisheries. Join us [...]
New Director Appointments for Te Wai Māori Trust
Te Wai Māori is pleased to announce the appointment of Maria Nepia (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Rakaipaaka) and Erina Watene (Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāi Te Rangi) to its Board of Directors. Maria and Erina have both served on the Board since 2021 [...]
Apply now for Wai Ora funding 2026
The Wai Ora Fund is designed for whānau, hapū, and iwi groups with projects related to freshwater or freshwater fisheries. We recognise the need and value of supporting projects by iwi, hapū and whānau whose mahi directly supports our taonga species [...]
Wai Ora Fund
Through the Wai Ora Fund, Te Wai Māori seeks to enable Māori to develop expertise to promote and advance Māori interests in freshwater fisheries through development, research and education.
Tiaki Wai Fund
Through the Tiaki Wai Fund, Te Wai Māori seeks to enable Māori to develop expertise to promote and advance Māori interests in freshwater fisheries through development, research and education.
Lake Rotoroa – Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust
Ngāti Pāhauwera were recipients of the Wai Ora Fund in 2022. This story shares an update on their project. On the 20th – 21st January 2024, Ngāti Pāhauwera Development Trust held a wānanga at Lake [...]
Lake Koitiata – Te Rūnanga o Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa
About the project Lake Koitiata is a dune lake within the Rangitīkei rohe where uri of Ngāti Apa and Ngā Wairiki are the mana whenua. It represents a unique remnant of ancestral landscape within the [...]
Utuhina Stream – Ngāti Kea Ngāti Tuara
Overview of project Ngāti Kea Ngāti Tuara are a hapū of Te Arawa and hold manawhenua over the area of Tarewa Pounamu, of which the Utuhina stream runs alongside it and therefore holds a special [...]
The Mangeroa Gully Restoration – Te Ani Waata Whānau Trust
About the project The Mangeroa Gully Restoration is a bold 30-year plan to create the first green corridor from Maungatautari Sanctuary Mountain to the Waikato River. The strategy gives Ngāti Koroki Kahukura whānau and the [...]
Taonga Wai Māori Mapping Project – Environs Te Uri o Hau
About the project Mahi with Patuharakeke at Pukekauri. Te Uri o Hau Kaitiaki Bill Paikea (standing) for Otamatea Marae, identifying taonga species (tuna) Environs Holdings Ltd the environmental subsidiary of the Te Uri [...]
Kaituna Pātaka Kai Project – Te Maru o Kaituna
The Kaituna Pātaka Kai Project is a collaboration led by tāngata whenua representatives of Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority. It is a way to preserve and revitalise mātauranga, tikanga and kawa per-taining to freshwater [...]