New Zealand’s aquaculture industry relies heavily on the farming of three species, which includes only one finfish species (the non-indigenous king salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). To enhance food security and better support local communities, particularly Māori (indigenous) communities, The Smart Māori Aquaculture initiative has identified Seriola lalandi (yellowtail kingfish) as a high-potential indigenous finfish for aquaculture. Utilising genomic information in aquaculture settings is still novel when compared to terrestrial farming; genetic information for wild S.lalandi populations surrounding New Zealand is limited. This community-focused project uses bioinformatics applied to combination of long- and short- read data, and Hi-C data, to produce the first high-quality genome assembly for a New Zealand -based S.lalandi, revealing insights into its unique genetic diversity. This project will also investigate the population structure and genetics of wild New Zealand S.lalandi, informing stock structure and broodstock selection for local breeding programmes. This research is supported by Genomics Aotearoa, reflecting a commitment to innovative, community-oriented research in New Zealand's aquaculture sector.