Unfortunately, this week we say goodbye to an outstanding Chief Scientist, John McKoy, who will be retiring on 18 August. John joined NIWA in 1995 as Director, Fisheries Research when MAF Fisheries Marine Research Division merged with NIWA, and he has led our fisheries portfolio ever since.

John is a marine biologist with a PhD from Victoria University, and he began his career researching rock lobsters with MAF Fisheries’s Fisheries Research Division, in the “Three Dr John’s Team” (John Annala, John Booth, and John McKoy). By 1983 he was leading the Coastal Fisheries Group, from 1985 he was Assistant Director (Marine), and he took over as Manager, Marine Research in 1987.

John added significantly to the knowledge of the biology and fisheries of the species he worked on, and oversaw a profound development of our understanding of marine fisheries. Developed substantially under his leadership, New Zealand’s fisheries research capability has for some time been recognised internationally as world class. To this end, he has helped us maintain our position, in the face of significant challenges, as the premier provider of fisheries research in New Zealand.

John can also take credit for helping develop the stock assessment and research planning processes that have underpinned fisheries management for many years. Internationally he is recognised for his fisheries knowledge, as evidenced by the annual request from Australia for John to help review aspects of their fisheries research, and he has been instrumental in securing and managing many other NIWA research contracts for overseas work.

On a day to day basis, however, he will be remembered by us for his sage advice, clear thinking, balance and pragmatism, and the enormous support and mentoring that he has provided to so many staff over the years, and I include myself as one of those who has benefitted from his wisdom.

John has much to be proud of, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for the enormous contribution and support he has made not only to NIWA and its predecessor organisations, but to New Zealand marine and fisheries science.  His achievements are outstanding.

On behalf of all staff I pass on our very best wishes for the future. A farewell function for John will be held at Greta Point in late October.

Kind regards,

John Morgan

CEO