Te Ara Moana

Te Ara Moana: Aotearoa–Tahiti Collaboration

Te Ara Moana is a new bilateral pathway connecting Aotearoa New Zealand and Tahiti through shared learning, capacity-building, and practical action for ocean health.

Te Ara Moana envisions a Pacific future where community and/or Indigenous governance systems form the backbone of marine protection. The programme connects Aotearoa and French Polynesia through culturally grounded, community-driven marine stewardship, aligned with the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and Pacific 30×30 commitments.

Emerging directly from the eight action items identified in the Tiaki Moana Summit Report, the programme focuses on building capability, strengthening regional relationships, and co-designing solutions that reflect Indigenous leadership, scientific knowledge, and local community priorities.

Eight priority Actions from Tiaki Moana:

1. Centre Local Communities and Indigenous Leadership
   Indigenous authority guides all aspects of design and implementation.
2. Build Genuine and Participatory Community Engagement
   Hui, fono, storytelling, and long-term relationships form the foundation of engagement.
3. Recognise and Legally Support Indigenous Marine Governance
   The programme strengthens pathways for recognising rāhui, mātaitai, taiāpure, tapu/tabu systems, and other customary tools as OECMs or OECM-aligned.
4. Develop Pacific-Specific OECM Tools and Innovation
   Biocultural indicators, protocols, and monitoring systems reflect Pacific cultural values.
5. Ensure Inclusive, Transparent Governance Structures
   A Māori–Tahitian Steering Committee ensures shared authority and culturally aligned governance.
6. Reframe OECMs Through a Pacific Lens
   Emphasises sovereignty, cultural identity, ancestral knowledge, and relational stewardship.
7. Deliver Sustainable and Innovative Financing
   Explores community-led sustainable finance models and long-term funding pathways.
8. Establish a Regional Peer-Learning Network
   Builds enduring regional capacity through community-to-community exchanges.

Beginning in 2026, Te Ara Moana will convene workshops, site visits, and collaborative exchanges across both Aotearoa and French Polynesia. These gatherings will advance the Tiaki Moana action areas — from monitoring and data, ocean literacy, and policy development, to youth engagement, community-led stewardship, and long-term governance pathways. Participants will include practitioners, educators, researchers, iwi and Polynesian leaders, NGOs, government agencies, and regional organisations.

Te Ara Moana is designed as a living, evolving partnership: a foundation for ongoing cooperation across Te Moananui-a-Kiwa. It aims to develop practical tools, shared frameworks, and enduring relationships that can support Pacific-led action well into the future.

A Call for Partners

We are now inviting schools, iwi and community groups, researchers, government agencies, funders, NGOs, and Pacific regional organisations to join us in shaping the first phase of Te Ara Moana. Partnership opportunities include co-designing workshop content, hosting visits, contributing expertise, supporting youth and community participation, or backing the programme financially.

If you or your organisation share a commitment to Pacific collaboration, ocean stewardship, and community-led action, we welcome your involvement in building this new pathway together.