Maori, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders will take centre stage of the Australasian marine science conference in Wellington this week.
They will challenge the 350 assembled scientists to work with their communities to integrate science and traditional knowledge.
Conference presenter and NIWA scientist Kelly Ratana says the aim is to improve research partnerships, focusing on the benefits that arise from collaborations, mutual respect of knowledge and a common purpose.
She says partnerships provide opportunities to resolve complex issues, but must be founded on a genuine desire to work together – and that means asking Indigenous communities how it works for them.
The four-day conference also includes a fisheries symposium marking 30 years of the Quota Management System.
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