Indigenising the blue economy in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

As significant stakeholders in the marine estate, Māori will play a central role in the proposed transition to a blue economy. While te ao Māori (the Māori worldview) aligns well with the blue economy, due to the consequences of colonisation and the specific circumstances caused by the Quota Management System and resulting Treaty of Waitangi settlement legislation addressing historic Māori grievances regarding fishing rights, Māori also face a number of extra constraints regarding this transition. This paper examines these constraints, arguing that these they are largely due to the current legal framework.