Restoring our Moana: Community Connects for Oceans and Endangered Māui and Hector's Dolphins

Building networks and taking action to save Māui and Hector's dolphins

On Thursday 30 October, Tāngaro Tuia te Ora – Endangered Species Foundation hosted a screening of Oceans, by David Attenborough, at Te Whare Taonga – the Waikato Museum. The evening brought together trustees, advisors and people from across the motu who care about the future of Aotearoa's marine life, including our endangered marine mammals - the Māui and Hector's dolphins.

On the night, Tāngaro Tuia te Ora Co-Chair Tawera Nikau welcomed everyone with a mihi whakatau and Stu Muir, wetlands advisor for the foundation, replied on behalf of manuhiri (visitors) in attendance. General Manager Natalie Jessup followed with a presentation on the status of Māui and Hector's dolphins, the need for stronger marine protections, and to stop bottom trawling in their habitats.

The film highlighted the diversity and fragility of ocean life and the connections between global and local ecosystems. The event helped relate these themes to the issues facing New Zealand's corals and marine species.

Bringing together advocates for te taiao

The evening was a valuable opportunity to bring together people working across te taiao, from waterways and ngahere (forests), to the marine environment, to meet, share knowledge and strengthen networks.

Co-Chair Emma Giesen and trustees Rangitahi Wharepapa and Stephen Goodger joined the screening, alongside John Innes, the foundation's birds advisor and Research Associate in Ecosystems & Conservation at Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research.

Foundation advisors included Karli Thomas, who campaigns against bottom trawling on seamounts in the South Pacific with the Deep Sea Conservation Coalition. Also in attendance were Juan Parada, an oceans campaigner at Greenpeace working to stop seabed mining in international waters, and Dominico Zapata, a photographer and volunteer focused on ending bottom trawling on the high seas.

Community environmental expertise was well represented and we were grateful to Michaela Insley from Raukūmara Pae Maunga, Siobhan Nuri, a tuna (eel) specialist at NIWA, Courtney Karalus from Deep Dive Division, an awesome company which removes old cars and rubbish from the Waikato River who were in attendance.

The Go Eco team - Jo Wrigley, Krissy Barnes and Simon Gascoigne - were present, as was Nardene Berry from Landcare Trust and Sam McElwee from Trees That Count and the Waikato Biodiversity Forum. We were also really happy to catch-up with Rachel Karalus, newly elected Hamilton City Councillor and Kim Cable, who works at Community Waikato and across wider hāpori communications.

Sue McConnochie and Tracie Dean-Speirs who work at the Waikato River Authority were in attendance, alongside Catherine Kirby, who works at EcoIndex and as a science communicator. We also had the privilege of meeting KatieLee Riddle, a lawyer working in the taiao space.

Massive thank you to supporters Andrew Barnes, Anne Brady and Mafalda Baptista, and Abigail Judson, author, illustrator and photographer, who all came along on the night.

We are so grateful to each and everyone of you for your support and everything you do!

Next steps

The event is part of Tāngaro Tuia te Ora's new campaign to advocate for marine reserves, sustainable fisheries, and the protection of endangered species such as Māui and Hector's dolphins so that we can restore the health and mauri of our oceans.

Follow-up activities and community events are planned for 2026 to continue building awareness and collective action.

There are many ways to help protect the endangered Māui and Hector's dolphins and restore our moana:

• Sign and share the petition to stop bottom trawling in Aotearoa.

• Ask how your fish is caught – choose line-caught, avoid set nets and bottom trawled fish.

• Report sightings of Māui and Hector's dolphins to the Department of Conservation: call 0800 DOC HOT.

• Awhi Awa - Embrace your local stream or coastal area, learn about freshwater fish and marine species, and help restore these ecosystems through our project Awhi Awa.

• Become a supporter of Tāngaro Tuia te Ora to back our ongoing advocacy and restoration projects.
  

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa — to our trustees, advisors, partners, and everyone who joined us to make this event possible. Your presence and support help strengthen the movement for a healthy, thriving moana.

Mauri ora ki ngā Māui, mauri ora mō te moana, mauri ora ki a tātou.