Tania McPherson
Name: Tania McPherson
Years in industry: 13
Occupation: Senior Policy Analyst, Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Limited
Location: Wellington
Iwi Affiliation: Ngatiwai (Ngati Rehua, Te Whanau o Rangiwhakaahu)
No two weeks are the same for Tania McPherson. Whether she is travelling the country attending hui, working on a variety of projects in her central Wellington office or raising issues in parliament, Tania enjoys a role that sees her shaping the future of Maori fisheries and marine assets.
As a senior policy analyst for iwi organisation Te Ohu Kai Moana Tania works as part of a dedicated team to help manage and grow Maori fisheries assets.
"Seafood is a significant part of my culture and heritage , so it's really satisfying to work in an organisation like Te Ohu Kai Moana. We help Iwi resume ownership of their fishing assets and manage their investment in New Zealand's marine resource and ensure that it continues for future generations."
Beyond seafood
"I want to help my people, and not just on a corporate commercial scale but also at the grass-roots level. A lot of people in the rural areas rely heavily on seafood"
Tania is working with iwi and government around the issue of stranded whales or whale bone and the access and management that iwi and hapu have to that resource.
"Whales are an important taonga for Maori.We want to remind the crown that they are in a partnership with iwi and hapu and they have a responsibility to protect our culture and heritage associated with these taonga.
Customary fisheries
Unique to Maori is the right to customary fisheries and this in particular is Tania's workplace passion.Fisheries are a traditional source of economic and cultural wealth for iwi and hapü. And being able to provide fish or shellfish to feed whänau (family) or manuhiri (guests) has always been part of the cultural heritage of tangata whenua,.
"I want to help my people, and not just on a corporate commercial scale but also at the grass-roots level. A lot of people in the rural areas rely heavily on seafood," she says.
From science to policy
Tania is an avid customary and recreational fisher herself and it was her love of seafood and cooking ("I've a bit of reputation as a good cook," she says) that led her to study marine ecology at university and to then specialise further at Auckland University's school of biological and marine sciences.What is TOKM?
TOKM is an organisation that is dedicated to the future advancement of Maori interests in the marine environment. It was established in 2004 to firstly administer, allocate and transfer fisheries assets to iwi, and secondly, to establish and monitor several trusts as well as Aotearoa Fisheries Limited (AFL).AFL (Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd) - owner of well known brands such as Sealord, Moana Pacific Fisheries and Pacific Marine Farms - is the commercial arm of TOKM who are its governing body.
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