On 11 September, the winners of the New Zealand Seafood Sustainability and Innovation Awards 2025 were announced at Parliament, recognising the many contributions of fishers, marine farmers, community groups and researchers from around the country.
Eleven individuals or businesses were recognised over eight awards.
Minister for Oceans and Fisheries Shane Jones said, “The Seafood Sustainability and Innovation Awards celebrate the many people and organisations who look after the marine environment and ensure the seafood sector continues to grow.”
University of Waikato Professor Kura Paul-Burke (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Whakahemo) won both the Seafood New Zealand-sponsored Supreme Sustainability and Innovation Award, and the Tangata Tiaki/Kaitiaki Award sponsored by Te Ohu Kaimoana, for her mahi combining mātauranga Māori with marine science to lead community-based restoration efforts reseeding pāua around Aotea Great Barrier Island and Waiheke Island.
Seafood New Zealand is a proud sponsor of these awards, and outgoing GM Communications Fiona MacMillan said that Professor Paul-Burke’s efforts empower her community made her a deserving choice.
“It’s quite something to lead an initiative that can restore a declining green-lipped mussel population from 80,000 to 45 million thriving mussels. My favourite detail is that she used cabbage tree leaf fibre instead of plastic for the mussels to attach to. To achieve that using a combination of science and mātauranga Māori, while bringing a whole community with you, is deeply impressive. Innovation and sustainability succeeds best when everyone is involved, and we can’t wait to see the ongoing results of Professor Paul-Burke’s research.”
Adding to the good news, Seafood New Zealand Inshore Principal Policy Manager Tamar Wells won the Future Leader Award. The Ministry for Primary Industries praised her personal approach and essential contribution to the Seafood Industry Forum Sub-Group, ensuring industry voices informed the design of fisheries reforms aimed at improving responsiveness, efficiency and certainty of fisheries decision-making.
In her heartfelt acceptance speech, Tamar said, “I got into my career in seafood as a science graduate and I cared about the ecology, the ocean and the creatures in it. What I didn’t expect to care about so much was all of the people in the seafood industry. That’s what’s keeping me in it – the passion they all have and how it’s part of your identity. It’s not just a job.”
Learn more about all the winner's on the Ministry for Primary Industries website.
