Ocean allies unite aboard Oceania to protect Māui | Poopoto dolphins
Tuesday 10 November 2026
Today, Aotea Apiti (Ngāti Apiti), Chair of Moana Rāhui o Aotea, and Natalie Jessup, Chief Executive of Tāngaro Tuia te Ora, the Endangered Species Foundation, went aboard Greenpeace’s new vessel Oceania to talk about ocean protection and what is needed to save the Māui | Pōpoto dolphin.
On board they met Oceania’s international crew and representatives from Greenpeace, LegaSea, Forest & Bird and KASM (Kiwis Against Seabed Mining). Each group brings its own knowledge and experience. They share a commitment to healthy moana and to the survival of one of Aotearoa’s rarest taonga.
Fewer than 50 Māui dolphins over one year old remain, down from around 500 in 1970. They are the smallest and one of the rarest marine dolphins in the world, and they are found only off the west coast of Te Ika a Māui. Hector’s dolphins are on the same path. Their numbers have fallen from about 50,000 in 1975 to between 10,000 and 15,000 today.
The shared kōrero covered the pressures facing these dolphins and their ocean habitat and the need for full protections from bottom trawling in their entire habitat. The group also discussed where efforts need to go next, from stronger protections across the dolphins’ full habitat to how communities can be mobilised.
A key part of the discussion was an upcoming Oceans Wānanga in Kāwhia. It will bring together mana whenua, community members, scientists and organisations to share knowledge and develop strategies for the health of moana.
“Our taonga need collective action,” says Aotea Apiti. “Being on board Oceania with people from across the planet who care about the ocean shows what is possible when we stand together. Mana whenua have carried this kaupapa for generations, and we welcome everyone who wants to stand alongside us to protect the mauri of our moana and the Māui dolphin.”
Natalie Jessup says that there is huge strength in working across groups and communities.
“Every group at the table yesterday brings something different, whether that is mātauranga, science, advocacy or people on the ground. When we bring those strengths together, to support iwi and hapū leadership, we can turn public concern into real protection.
“We also need to keep reaching out to new communities. There are people all over Aotearoa who care deeply about these dolphins and want to help. The Oceans Wānanga in Kāwhia is a chance to come together and rise up to have a greater voice, to take action and to turn things around.”
Confirmed dates and invitations to the wānanga will be announced soon for 2027. Community members interested in ocean protection are warmly encouraged to take part.
Greenpeace boat oceania
Oceania is Greenpeace’s first ship based permanently in the Australia-Pacific region. Greenpeace Australia Pacific named and launched it on the Gold Coast in July 2024. It runs mainly on wind power, has four solar panels on board, and room for a crew of up to 11. It also has a lifting centreboard instead of a fixed keel, so it can reach shallow coastal waters that larger ships can’t.
Oceania sails the Pacific to advocate for stronger ocean protection and to build relationships with Pasifika communities, who are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Its work has taken it from the Great Barrier Reef and the South Tasman Sea to Pacific Island nations. Most recently it sailed from Sydney to Fiji, by way of New Caledonia. Greenpeace describes its purpose as working alongside communities to bear witness and take peaceful action to protect the ocean.
🔗 To stay be kept informed and part of this campaign, you can sign the petition to stop bottom trawling in Māui and Hector’s dolphin habitat here:
