The Hinemoana Halo project achieved a significant milestone by uniting Pacific Indigenous leaders in launching He Whakaputanga Moana, a groundbreaking treaty advocating for whale conservation and Indigenous ocean stewardship. The treaty promotes the protection and survival of whales, granting them legal recognition akin to living beings, similar to the Whanganui River's personhood status in Aotearoa.
This initiative has received widespread international attention, with coverage from prominent media outlets such as the BBC, New York Times, Yahoo, Times of India, NPR and the Telegraph, with unique views exceeding 1.7 billion people. This highlights the importance of Indigenous leadership in biodiversity conservation and ocean stewardship. Moreover, Conservation International Aotearoa's investment in restoring a double-hulled voyaging canoe, crewed by an all-female Indigenous team, underscores the commitment to strengthening connections between Indigenous communities and the ocean, emphasizing the significance of Indigenous stewardship in biodiversity conservation and ocean restoration efforts.