Te Kotahitanga o Te Arawa Waka Fisheries Trust and the Te Arawa Fisheries Group administer funding and distribution programs that support our mission to collectively safeguard, nurture, and enrich our resources for the prosperity of Te Arawa tangata, enabling our vision “ka pai te kai, kua ki te puku, ka ora te tangata.”
Our different programs and funds aim to achieve:
• Encourage the development of initiatives that align with the collective efforts of Te Arawa and the Te Moana-a-Toi aquaculture group.
• Support innovations in technologies for sustainable and modern practices.
• Support educational and training initiatives that integrates mātauranga Māori with contemporary marine practices.
• Support projects that focus on restoration, preservation and conservation efforts ensuring the long-term health of our moana.
We offer sponsorship for 80 tamariki annually, (20 per term) aged 4–16 years to participate in the Orange Swim School Learn to Swim – Skills for Life Programme.
This kaupapa aims to strengthen water safety across our iwi, ensuring our tamariki are confident, safe, and skilled in and around the water.
Through this sponsorship, participants will gain:
• Confidence and safety skills in and around water
• Foundational and technical swimming skills
The sponsorship covers Levels 1–3 Learn to Swim – Skills for Life programmes, located at Hannahs Bay and St Mary’s primary school on set days, as well as the beginner group level Ika Iti (including deep pool experience), delivered at the Rotorua Aquatic Centre by Orange Swim School.
Applications are open at the beginning of each term and close a when spaces reach capacity.
For more information read our criteria and policy.
We proudly support Te Arawa tamariki to build water confidence, safety, and lifelong skills through the Nippers Ocean Safe Sponsorship Program in Papamoa. The programme is open to tamariki aged 5–13 years who whakapapa to one of the 10 iwi, with whāngai and adopted tamariki recognised.
The sponsorship provides up to $150 per child to cover Nippers membership, parent/caregiver membership, a rash shirt, and surf carnival fees. Twenty places are available each fisheries financial year and are allocated on a first-in, first-served basis. A $50 refundable bond applies, with a minimum 80% attendance required.
This fund is designed to foster sustainable fishing and aquaculture and drive Māori economic growth through the principles of kaitiakitanga and tikanga Māori. It aims to build capacity in the oceans sector by fostering strong partnerships and supporting projects that align with our mission and strategic goals. Objectives of this fund include:
• Encourage the development of initiatives that align with the collective efforts of Te Arawa and the Te Moana-a-Toi aquaculture group.
• Support innovations in technologies for sustainable and modern practices.
• Support educational and training initiatives that integrates mātauranga Māori with contemporary marine practices.
• Support projects that focus on restoration, preservation and conservation efforts ensuring the long-term health of our moana.
• Empower iwi development by supporting projects that improve the economic, cultural, and social resilience of iwi members and communities.
Applications open 1 October 2025 and close 30 April 2026.
For more information read our policy below.
This Iwi Partnership/Te Hōtaka Hononga-ā-Iwi program is designed to uplift iwi development by fostering sustainable initiatives that align with tikanga and kaitiakitanga. It enables iwi to pursue projects that contribute to the economic, cultural, environmental, and social wellbeing of their people. The scope of eligible projects includes, but is not limited to, sustainable aquaculture, environmental restoration, education and training, cultural development, and marae upkeep or enhancement projects that benefit the wider iwi community.
Applications open 1 October 2025 and close 30 April 2026.
For more information read our policy below.
We provide whanau with fish and mussels during difficult times by supplying kaimoana to tangihanga held in the Te Arawa rohe.
Tangihanga must be held on a Te Arawa marae, or within the Te Arawa rohe and a descendant of one of our 10 constituted iwi.
Contact us to request fish for tangihanga. For more information on this initiative, read our policy below.
Te Kotahitanga O Te Arawa Waka Fisheries provides a discretionary fund to its 10 elected iwi representatives in the form of a $10,000 (total) Koha Fund. Each of the 10 iwi representatives/trust board members are allocated maximum $1,000 each per fisheries financial year to support various community-based kaupapa. The approval or decline of each requests is discretionary to each representative.
Read our policy below.
