Te Tatau o te Pō Trustee | Deputy Chairperson
Mark is an aquatic ecologist with Earth Sciences New Zealand (formerly NIWA) whose career has focused on freshwater and fisheries systems and the sustainable management of taonga species and aquatic environments.
His work spans from the atmosphere to the deep sea, reflecting a ki uta ki tai approach to understanding and caring for connected environments. He is committed to bringing together scientific knowledge and mātauranga Māori to guide the care of fisheries, coastal environments, and waterways including lakes, rivers, and streams.
His kaupapa with the Trust is to help ensure the benefits of the fisheries settlement are managed wisely and shared fairly among uri. He sees fisheries assets as a taonga that carries both opportunity and responsibility, and believes they must be protected and grown to support future generations.
Mark views the Trustee role as kaitiaki of harbour, coastal environments, and waterways including Te Whanganui-a-Tara as central to the identity of our people. He supports customary management tools such as rāhui, taiāpure, and mātaitai as practical ways to care for these taonga and keep them healthy and productive.
Having previously served as a trustee, Mark sees trusteeship as a role of service. He is guided by fairness, transparency, and long-term stewardship, and wants to honour and build on the legacy of Toarangatira Pomare while supporting the continued strength of the Trust and its commercial arm.
Ultimately, Mark seeks to contribute to the long-term wellbeing of the people and the careful stewardship of the Trust’s assets.