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Te Pae Tawhiti Kaimoana Enhancement Scholarship is designed for Māori who have a desire to contribute to the enhancement of the Māori kaimoana industry.

About this Scholarship

How to apply

To be eligible, applicants must be of Māori descent and be accepted into and enrolled in a kaimoana enhancement related tertiary programme at a tertiary institution.

Applications are open for the 2026 academic year. You can apply online or by downloading the form below and sending a complete application to comms@moana.co.nz.

Download info booklet

Te Pae Tawhiti scholarship recipient Kayla Martin

Am I eligible?

To be eligible, applicants must prove they are of Māori descent and are enrolled in, and have been accepted into, a tertiary institution which offers kaimoana enhancement programmes or studies.  Examples of kaimoana enhancement programmes may include:

  • Social or political studies which support fisheries policy development
  • Indigenous studies with respect for Mātauranga Māori and anthropology, specifically ahumoana ahutāngata, aquaculture development and understanding Aotearoa’s unique global geopolitical position
  • Sustainable, regenerative, restorative kaimoana e.g. fisheries or aquaculture, which support production of business studies
  • Environmental studies which support the production of sustainable kaimoana e.g. climate change, marine ecosystems, marine sciences

You may apply at any stage of your programme. Applications are open until Friday 6 February 2026 so apply online here.

Mr Whaimutu Dewes

Enhancing the Māori kaimoana industry

The Te Pae Tawhiti Kaimoana Enhancement Scholarship has been established to honour and acknowledge the long-standing commitment and contribution by Mr Whaimutu Dewes to the Māori fishing industry from the settlement with the Crown, the establishment of Aotearoa Fisheries, to his years of service through directorships and Chairmanship of both Moana New Zealand and Sealord.

Moana New Zealand is New Zealand’s largest iwi-owned kaimoana and kai ora company and is an important part of the inter-generational Māori Fisheries Settlement with the Crown. The nature of that settlement means that Māori will always be involved in fisheries.