Three young women become inaugural Ocean Stewardship Awardees

Emilia Palma Tuki from Rapa Nui, Alanna Matamaru Smith from the Cook Islands, and Kathryn Audroing from Trinidad and Tobago have been presented with the award during a ceremony dedicated to the award’s founder, the late Dr Kristina Gjerde, a pioneering ocean lawyer and advocate who died in December 2025.

Kristina’s vision and leadership were instrumental in inspiring the creation of the High Seas Treaty, five leading ocean organisations, and a global network of dedicated individuals committed to marine conservation.

A legacy of empowering ocean leaders

Toward the end of her life, Kristina established the Ocean Stewardship Award to support the next generation of ocean leaders at a time when our marine environment faces mounting pressures, from deep sea mining and overfishing to climate change and plastic pollution.

Hosted by Synchronicity Earth and led by the Ocean Stewardship Award Steering Committee, the award is a practical testimony to Gjerde’s belief that meaningful ocean protection requires not only landmark agreements but also the people capable of implementing and defending them for generations to come.

A pivotal moment for the ocean

Dr Kristina Gjerde speaking at the 1st Session of the BBNJ Preparatory Committee, April 2016. Image © IISD ENB Francis Dejon

The winners’ work bridges Indigenous Knowledge and global policy, carrying the voices of ocean-dependent communities in Small Island Developing States into international decision-making spaces where those perspectives have too often been absent.

As the High Seas Treaty enters its implementation phase, it highlights the essential role of the ‘implementation generation’; emerging leaders tasked with turning global political commitments into lasting ocean protection.

Emilia Palma Tuki: Combining Indigenous Knowledge, science, and local conservation

Emilia Palma Tuki, 2026 Ocean Stewardship Awardee.

Emilia Palma Tuki is a marine biologist from Rapa Nui and the first from her community to enter the field; a young scientist bringing deep sea conservation home. A new kind of emerging ocean steward, her work bridges Indigenous Knowledge, frontier science, and grassroots conservation.

In 2024, she joined a scientific expedition to the Salas y Gómez seamounts aboard the research vessel Falkor, contributing to one of the most significant deep sea exploration efforts in the region. These experiences strengthened her commitment to protecting fragile deep ocean ecosystems and translating science into community action.

“From a very young age, I understood that the ocean is not only part of our cultural identity, but also represents the origin, present, and future of life on Earth,” says Emilia.

“Growing up surrounded by the sea allowed me to develop a deep respect for its ecosystems, understand its fragility, and forge the conviction that now guides my scientific training and vocation.”

Alanna Matamaru Smith: Advocating for deep sea protection in the Pacific

Alanna Matamaru Smith, 2026 Ocean Stewardship Awardee.

Alanna is an Indigenous ocean steward from the Cook Islands who has become a leading Pacific advocate for deep sea protection.

Her work is grounded in the principle of Mana Tiaki – the understanding that humans are caretakers of the natural world, responsible for protecting it for future generations. She has represented the Cook Islands at major international ocean forums, including meetings of the International Seabed Authority and the IUCN.

A central focus of her advocacy is addressing the growing interest in deep sea mining in the Pacific. She works to ensure that communities have access to credible information and meaningful participation in decisions that could shape the future of the ocean.

“My goal is to amplify the voices of Pacific peoples in ocean governance, ensuring that our traditional values and our enduring relationship with ‘Moana Nui a Kiva’, the great ocean, are honoured in both regional and global decision-making spaces.” 

Alanna Matamaru Smith, Ocean Stewardship Awardee

Kathryn Audroing: Uniting communities for migratory sea turtles

Kathryn Audroing, 2026 Ocean Stewardship Awardee.

Kathryn Audroing is a marine conservationist from Trinidad and Tobago whose career spans community stewardship, biological research, and international ocean policy.

Her conservation work focuses on migratory marine turtles, species that connect coastal waters to the High Seas. Through community-led coalitions, she has brought together fishers, youth volunteers, and local leaders to protect marine habitats as shared heritage.

Kathryn has represented Trinidad and Tobago at the Plastics Treaty Intergovernmental Negotiating Committees and participated in non-governmental delegations at the 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice and the High Seas Treaty preparations. She advocates for equitable ocean governance that ensures Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and the Global South have meaningful influence in shaping policy for the high seas and deep ocean.

“As a professional from a SIDS, I believe that the High Seas must be protected in a way that is fair, ensuring the Global South is equitably involved and influential in ocean governance,” says Kathryn. “I strongly advocate for protecting the ocean so that the community of tomorrow has equal or better opportunities.”