An iwi collective partnership scholarship with one of the country's biggest fishing companies aims to get more young Maori working in the industry.
Sanford Ltd and the ICP are for the first time offering three annual fishing scholarships valued at over $16,000 for study at the Westport Deepwater Fishing School.
Iwi collective partnership manager Maru Samuels says it received 11 applications.
He says the money will cover time aboard trawlers, study and a guaranteed job with Sanford upon completion, adding that the grants work more like internships.
Mr Samuels says next year it hopes to broaden the scholarships to include funding for scientific and policy fishing related qualifications.