Te Wai Māori Trustee Limited is proud to announce the appointment of Lisa te Heuheu as its new Chair. Lisa (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Maniapoto) has been a director of Te Wai Māori since 2017, and brings significant experience working in the natural resources sector having held various roles in resource management, iwi planning, agriculture, policy, research and management.

Her appointment follows the retirement of Ken Mair in February and sees Lisa as the first wahine Māori Chair in the history of the Trust.

“My passion and professional life has always been around environmental management. I’ve spent the last 12 years working with iwi as an environmental management consultant and planner, so Te Wai Māori is a natural fit. The alignment to be able to work with our people to serve them and their aspirations around freshwater fisheries and wai, is very special to me.”

“There are some huge challenges for freshwater fisheries in Aotearoa including climate change, habitat degradation, and threats to the abundance of taonga species, and we are keen to ensure that Iwi, hapū and Māori are at the forefront of decision making to respond to these pressures and I’m excited by the challenge and the opportunities.”

The Trust has also welcomed Pahia Turia to its Board. Pahia (Ngā Wairiki, Ngāti Apa, Whanganui, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) brings with him extensive governance and fisheries experience.

About Te Wai Māori Trust

Te Wai Māori Trust works on behalf of all Iwi to advance the interests of New Zealand’s indigenous freshwater fisheries species and advises Iwi and the Government on freshwater fisheries matters.

The Trust undertakes research and provides funding and support to Iwi, hapū and whānau undertaking research into freshwater fisheries and habitat restoration.

The Directors are Lisa Te Heuheu, Miria Pomare, Pahia Turia, Donna Flavell and Ian Ruru.

Te Wai Maori Trust is statutorily mandated to advance the interests of Maori in freshwater fisheries under the Maori Fisheries Act 2004.

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