Whales have been given legal ‘personhood’ by Māori and Pacific leaders. So what’s next?

Whales have been recognised as legal persons by traditional leaders of the Pacific after a landmark treaty was signed last month.

The treaty, or He Whakaputanga Moana, was signed in a ceremony attended by Tūheitia Potatau te Wherowhero VII — the Māori King, Tou Travel Ariki — the Kaumaiti Nui (president) of House of Ariki, along with elders from Tonga, Tahiti, Hawai’i and Rapanui.

But what is the significance of such a treaty? And what does it actually mean?

Māori conservationist Mere Takoko leads Hinemoana Halo Ocean Initiative, the group behind the treaty, and said protecting whales “benefits everybody”.

“The whale is an ancestor, so it’s our role as ocean guardians to ensure they’re protected,” she told Pacifc Beat.

“We, the descendants of those who first navigated these waters, hold a deep understanding of our local ecosystems … By providing us with the resources and authority to manage our ancestral waters, we can become stronger protectors of the whales and the Moana as a whole.

“Essentially, what it will do, is enable protections that we currently don’t see.”

Under the treaty, whales will be recognised as a legal entity with rights and legal standing if harmed, something advocates hope will help ensure their legal protection.