A Bay of Plenty iwi group is working in partnership with Sanford Limited to get more Maori into the fishery industry.

'Step up and go fishing” and 'Work over Summer” are scholarships available to people who have connections to one of 12 tribes in the Iwi Collective Partnership.

Iwi from the Bay of Plenty involved in the partnership include Ngati Manawa, Ngati Awa, Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Arawa and Whakatohea.

Iwi Collective Partnership manager Maru Samuel says the scholarships will provide opportunities and training for people to enter different sectors of the fishing industry.

The aim behind the scholarships is to get people to try their hand at commercial fishing before taking up all the expenses of paid study and training with Sanford.