The New Zealand Whale and Dolphin Trust was launched in 1992 by researchers Associate Professors Liz Slooten and Steve Dawson, along with Trust Patron Sir Geoffrey Palmer to foster research and effective conservation of whales and dolphins in New Zealand.

The Trust’s long-term goal is;
"To enhance the current knowledge of the ecology, distribution and conservation of New Zealand's whales and dolphins and help ensure informed, science-based management decisions".