Te Ohu Kaimoana chief executive Peter Douglas says Maori should take heart from a new study showing New Zealand's fisheries are among the healthiest in the world.
The Rebuilding Global Fisheries report published in the international journal Science gave only New Zealand and Alaska the top "green" rating.
Mr Douglas says Maori have a major stake in the industry because of the Sealord fishing rights settlement two decades ago, which helped consolidate New Zealand's quota management system.
He told Waatea News that "we are lucky to live in a country that made decisions about how to manage fisheries 25 years ago before there was a crisis."
Mr Douglas says the fishing industry is as much about marketing as harvesting, so the endorsement of New Zealand's green credentials should give Maori companies an edge in global markets.
