Tena koutou
He kororia ki te Atua
He maungarongo ki runga i te whenua
He whakaoro pai ki nga tangata katoa

Welcome to the first fisheries iKARERE for 2009. I hope this is a useful tool to keep you informed about big fisheries issues. You can find more detail on the articles you read you read here on our website at www.teohu.maori.nz or through our expert staff. I encourage you to familiarise yourself with these issues and learn what you can.

Late last month, we held the joint Te Ohu Kaimoana and Aotearoa Fisheries Hui-a-Tau, at Pipitea Marae, Wellington, and we have included some key items here from that annual meeting. We also have articles on a huge opportunity for young Maori – the Global Fisheries Training Programme with the chance to work and study in Japan for 12 months. Perhaps you know someone who would benefit from it?

We live in challenging times, but they are not without opportunity.
We hope you find the following articles of interest.

Peter Douglas, Chief Executive (peter.douglas@teohu.maori.nz)

Maori are major players and a critical part of the fishing industry, Fisheries Minister Phil Heatley told Maori leaders gathered at the combined Te Ohu Kaimoana and Aotearoa Fisheries Hui-a-Tau on Friday, 30 January. Minister Heatley said he was committed to helping the fisheries industry through the current global economic crisis “in the best shape possible”. He said the Quota Management System (QMS) and “an ongoing commitment to property rights” provide New Zealand fisheries with a “good platform… Then there’s the Deed of Settlement and the positives that certainty brings. The Government is committed to working with tangata whenua as a Treaty partner,” he said. Mr Heatley also acknowledged that “while Maori are pivotal players in the fishing industry, they have rights and interests that go well beyond this, including their role as Kaitiaki, and managers of the non-commercial customary sector”. His full speech can be found at www.teohu.maori.nz

More than $440 million worth of Fisheries Settlement assets have now been transferred to iwi by Te Ohu Kaimoana, Chairman Archie Taiaroa told the Hui-a-Tau. Mr Taiaroa told the gathered Maori leaders that by the end of the last financial year, 48 Mandated Iwi Organisations (MIOs) were in place, with just nine iwi yet to achieve MIO status. He said Te Ohu Kaimoana was committed to working with the remaining iwi to help them become MIOs, as their lack of progress was impacting on their adjoining iwi getting their assets. “A few stragglers cannot be allowed to hold up the progress of their neighbouring iwi. We will do what is required to create a fair environment for all,” he said. Mr Taiaroa’s presentation and other Hui-a-Tau presentations can be found at www.teohu.maori.nz

Twenty-five iwi have now committed to 18 full or partial coastline agreements, Te Ohu Kaimoana Chairman Archie Taiaroa told last month’s Hui-a-Tau in Wellington. He told delegates to the annual meeting that these coastline agreements now covered 350,000 Maori. He said that Ngai Tamanuhiri had been the first ‘mainland’ iwi to sign a full agreement. Other notable achievements among the agreements, included Taranaki – “a major success story” – as the first big group with six adjoining MIOs signing agreements – Ngati Mutunga, Te Atiawa, Taranaki, Nga Ruahine, Ngati Ruanui and Nga Rauru. Mr Taiaroa said the six iwi “came to the very wise conclusion that co-operation was in their mutual best interests”. He also noted that Ngapuhi had reached agreement with all their surrounding iwi, while Kahungunu and Rangitane have agreed the coastal share on the east coast. His message to those iwi still to agree on coastlines: “Time to catch up! I can’t emphasise enough that our future success is all about how we co-operate as iwi.”

The $440 million worth of Fisheries Settlement assets already transferred to iwi could be a critical resource for helping Maori come through the current global economic crisis, Te Ohu Kaimoana Chairman Archie Taiaroa told the Hui-a-Tau. He said wise use of the Settlement resources by iwi, particularly in the regions, could help keep Maori employed at a time when an increasing number of New Zealanders’ jobs are in danger. “We must look at ways of helping our people through these tough times – and by doing so look after our country – through putting our economic resources back into the regions to allow our people to manage their own economic base,” he said. “Maori and iwi are significant players in fisheries, and we should all be looking at how we can utilise Settlement resources to support our people at this difficult time,” Mr Taiaroa said.