Winners of the Inaugural Women of Aquaculture Aotearoa (WoAA) Awards
Winners of the Inaugural Women of Aquaculture Aotearoa (WoAA) Awards
There was an impressive number of nominations for two new awards recognising the contributions women make to the aquaculture sector.
Aquaculture New Zealand (AQNZ) and Women of Aquaculture Aotearoa (WoAA) collaborated for the inaugural awards to acknowledge women in the industry, their achievements, and the work they are doing.
Caroline Gilbertson, WoAA Co-Founder says there are some incredible women in the sector and their mahi deserves to be celebrated.
“We started Women of Aquaculture Aotearoa because we knew firsthand the number of wāhine in the aquaculture industry who were doing amazing things, often unrecognised,” she says, “plus we understood the immense appetite for greater connection and networking for women in our sector.”
She says the response to these awards has showcased the passion for this industry and the people in it.
“It has been overwhelming to see the respect, appreciation, and mana showcased in the nominations. There’s a wonderful variety ranging from well-respected industry stalwarts to up-and-coming young stars.”
“We have received deserving nominations from colleagues, employers, business partners, family, students, clients, mentors, friends, and others— it’s been a privilege to see the effort people have made to acknowledge each nominee and their mahi.”
There were twenty-nine nominations for the two awards, and Caroline says the high calibre of nominees made selecting the recipients a tough job for the judges.
The winners were invited to attend the 2025 Aquaculture New Zealand conference to receive their awards, thanks to the support of Aquaculture New Zealand. They were also invited to attend the WoAA pre-conference networking event. See more on the AQNZ Women of Aquaculture Aotearoa Awards.
The Awards
WoAA Outstanding Service Award celebrates wāhine who have stepped up and made a lasting impact on aquaculture business, the environment, the people, or the sector as-a-whole.
Winner: Jane Symonds
Nominees:
Andrea Strang
Cindy Steele
Debbie Pannell
Denise Hearn
Holly Stanford
Isha Sharma
Karen Morley
Kim Thompson
Kirsty Colquhoun
Kirsten Norfield
Kristin Spaetzel
Maddison Parlato
Paige Thomson
Tirakahurangi (Amelia) Austin
WoAA Excellence Award recognises rising stars, major achievements, contributors, and valuable members who have done excellent mahi.
Winner: Kirsty Colquhoun
Nominees:
Amelia Harvey
Annette Smith
Caroline Gilbertson & Áine O'Neill
Debbie Pannell
Debra Murphy
Holly Stanford
Kirsten Norfield
Lydia Manuouiha
Maegen Blom
Monique Hatfull
Shenae Wales
Sruthi Ramsundar
Tirakahurangi (Amelia) Austin
In total 29 nominations were received for the two WoAA awards - here are some of those fabulous nominees who attended the awards presentation.
Judging Panel:
Tee Hale Pennington: CE - Aquaculture New Zealand
Jenny Marcroft: Parliamentary Under-Secretary - Oceans and Fisheries
Karen Olver: Director - Women in Seafood Australasia
Julia Jones: General Manager - Agri-Womens Development Trust
Jane Symonds with her 2025 WoAA Award for Outstanding Service
Áine O'Neill and Caroline Gilbertson (WoAA Founders) present the 2025 Excellence Award to Kirsty Colquhoun