Jack Fenaughty was born in Hataitai, Te Whanganui-a-Tara and lived most of his life at Mākara.  He has family connections with Ngati Porou through his mother’s whanau and also through his wife’s. He and his wife Jill acknowledge Ngāti Ira who had original kaitiakitanga over the land and coastline that he calls home. Jack brings over 48 years of experience of fishing and marine science around New Zealand and further afield, including the Ross Sea in the Southern Ocean.

The last thirteen years of my seagoing was mainly spent in the Ross Sea and in the South Atlantic around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.  I am still involved in fishing and in fisheries research and management through our Consultancy working with industry, government, and universities.  Since 2005 I have been part of the New Zealand delegation to the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) which is the management body for all high latitude fisheries in the southern hemisphere.  I attend meetings as a science representative but also as an advisor to the New Zealand delegation.  Our business also works with a group of multinational vessels working in the Ross Sea who achieved Marine Stewardship Certification (MSC) for that fishery in 2010.  We were involved in the initial certification and continue the ongoing recertification and annual processes as well as providing management services to the group.