A new pilot programme is being developed that would see the recruitment of 12 tangata whenua Honorary Enforcement Officers (HEOs), to strengthen and broaden the knowledge of council and its maritime team about the coastal areas of Te Taitokerau (mātauranga), and to protect, restore and improve the mauri of water.

The kaupapa will be funded through the Long-Term Plan, and the mahi will align with the Tāiki ē Te Tiriti Strategy and Implementation Plan and the council’s commitment to embedding te ao Māori perspectives in navigation safety and caring for te taiao. From 2024/25 over a three-year period, four HEOs will be appointed annually.

These voluntary roles, with a $6,000 honorarium, will help to bring mātauranga Māori to this area of work and to explore issues like how rāhui align with maritime safety and how they can foster deeper connections between iwi, hapū, and council. HEOs will support education within their rohe, uphold navigation bylaws, and investigate culturally appropriate compliance models such as marae-based restorative justice.

Building on the kaupapa of "Nobody’s Stronger than Tangaroa," tangata whenua candidates with maritime experience will be chosen in collaboration with harbourmasters. This kaupapa will strengthen whanaungatanga, restore mauri, and enhance rangatiratanga across Te Taitokerau, Maritime New Zealand and other councils across Aotearoa have also shown keen interest in this kaupapa.