A shared vision

The Guardians of the Sea Charitable Trust Ngā Kaitiaki mo Tangaroa is led by a board consisting of six trustees. While each member brings with them considerable business acumen, it’s their shared passion and empathy towards the vision of our organisation that ensures that our Trust can confidently and purposefully work towards a better future for fishing in Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Collectively, we’ve committed to leading, educating and inspiring New Zealanders to achieve sustainable fisheries and a coastline for all to enjoy. With robust governance in place, we ensure that every dollar raised goes towards the protection of our precious ocean resources.

Where it began

Seed funding was raised from several benefactors which has enabled the Trust’s formation, establishment and development of fundraising collateral. In 2006, The Guardians of the Sea Charitable Trust Ngā Kaitiaki mo Tangaroa was incorporated and obtained charitable status as defined by the Charitable Trust Act 1957. We are approved by Inland Revenue for the purposes of sections KC 5, DB 32 and DV 11 of the Income Tax Act 2004. 

[Our team, from left to right: Tom Fox, Steve Sangster, Wane Wharerau, Martin Irvine, Luke Kingstone, Jason Foord]

The Trustees

  • Tom Fox, company director of Auckland (Chairman)
  • Martin Irvine, company director of Auckland
  • Jason Foord, company director of Auckland
  • Wane Wharerau, Police Iwi Liaison Officer (Kaitakawāenga Māori) Waitematā
  • Steve Sangster, Hubands Energy, of Kaikohe
  • Luke Kingstone, company director of Auckland

Endorsements

The Board has the endorsement of:

Support

Professional support and advice to the Trust is provided by:

Meet The Trustees

Tom Fox

FOUNDER

Tom lives in Auckland with his wife Tory. They have three grown children.

“I have been fortunate to enjoy a lifetime in the outdoors primarily fishing and shooting. As a trustee of GOTS it gives me an opportunity to put something back into the sport and environment that has given me so much pleasure over the years”.

Tom retired this year as a Financial Adviser and Director of Canopy Group. Tom has chaired the Trust over recent years and his broad experience in business and background as a Chartered Accountant provides compliance and governance expertise to GOTS.

Jason Foord

FOUNDER

Company Director, Auckland. Husband, father and passionate outdoorsman.  

Aotearoa New Zealand is more than just a place to live, for me it is a refuge that still allows us, her guardians, to readily connect with real things – the air, the land, the water, the wildlife. Access to these natural resources is both a right and a necessity; we care most for those things that nourish us, physically as well as spiritually. If we lose that connection we lose a little bit of what it is to be human, our hearts grow hard and our souls weary. I would contend that truly connecting to the land and seas by being out there, gathering kai and sustaining our families with it, is the highest expression of what it is to be part of the land, to be a New Zealander and she needs our help, more than ever.

We can’t solve all the problems we face but we can do something for the ocean and those who seek sustenance from her, step forth and donate and we will ensure that your hard-earned dollar is put to work protecting the precious taonga that are our fisheries. More fish in the water, is our battle cry!

Martin Irvine

FOUNDER

Born on the North Shore , father of three children, a grandfather, fisherman and surfer all his life, and founder of Warwick fabrics in NZ over 30 years ago. Passionate about the sea and our fishing stocks and is committed to working towards a future that provides for all New Zealanders to be able catch their Quota. A sustainable coastline, sea and fisheries is what I’m totally passionate about.

Steve Sangster

FOUNDER

The right of every kiwi to catch a meal from the ocean is one to be cherished, protected and enhanced. No matter our wealth, the experience of bringing wholesome seafood to our tables from the wharf, rocks, beach or boat is nothing short of precious. A taonga to be both respected and enjoyed.

Since catching my first fish at the age of 4 years old, changes to the environment and increased pressure on our fisheries has resulted in stocks that are now way too low. The retail price of fish puts it beyond many, and the chances of catching a feed from the shore greatly reduced. Most of my working lifetime has been as a business owner in the electronic manufacturing and solar energy industries. Yet the passion for fishing has remained as it does for so many of us.

The initiative to work towards the goal of “more fish in the water for our grandchildren” – kia maha atu nga ika ki roto i te wai to tatou mokopuna – is something myself and fellow Trustees care deeply about.

We greatly appreciate the opportunity to fund worthy projects that strive to achieve our objectives. You can help by making a donation towards the cause.

Wane Wharerau

FOUNDER

Fishing and diving has been a huge part of my life.  

The simple mantra of ‘More Fish in the Water’ has a common sense tone to draw in all sectors of the fishing fraternity whether customary Māori, commercial or recreational.  My tenure of some eight years as a Trustee with The Guardians of the Sea has been rewarding in the sense that we are supporting innovative ideas to accomplish our objective.  While an avid sport fisherman, as a Director on the Ngāpuhi Asset Holding Company Board, I also have an interest on commercial fishing. Our role is to work hard to preserve our wild stock fishery.

Secretary

Luke Kingstone

Luke lives with his young family in Auckland where he is a Chartered Accountant and Director of Kingstone and Associates, a chartered accountancy and business advisory firm. Having spent a lifetime on the water as a sailor, fisherman and diver, Luke wants to ensure his children have the same enjoyable experiences he had growing up fishing and gathering kaimoana. The Guardians of the Sea Charitable Trust’s  mantra of “More fish in the Water” resonates with Luke, as having a more abundant and sustainable fishery resource benefits all New Zealanders and future generations.

Support a proud future of fishing in NZ

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Support a proud future of fishing in NZ

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