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Welcome to the July iKARERE.

The seafood and fisheries industries are complex ones, with many challenges to be negotiated along the way.

This month we thought we would summarise some of the crucial - and at times, behind-the-scenes - work that Te Ohu Kaimoana is doing on your behalf. In the first six months of this year alone, that work has ranged from advocating on behalf of iwi and Maori in the review of the Resource Management Act, the Emissions Trading Scheme review, and on the foreshore and seabed issue.

In each and every case, it's about giving voice to the best interests of iwi and Maori.

You will also find an update on the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement (Regional Agreements) Amendment Bill, and Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd's half-yearly
hui - with some exciting future prospects for co-investment with iwi.

There is a lot going on and we hope this iKARERE will help you keep up with it.

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

Behind the scenes: Te Ohu gives powerful voice to Maori interests

Te Ohu Kaimoana’s recent Foreshore and Seabed Act submission is just
the latest that the organisation has made in the first six months of this
year on issues and legislation impacting on Maori, Chief Executive
Peter Douglas says.

“One of Te Ohu Kaimoana’s capabilities is that it is a strong advocacy organisation. We have a small but very capable Policy and Operations team headed by Laws Lawson, and they punch well beyond their weight for iwi and Maori.” Mr Douglas said.

“At any one time, Te Ohu Kaimoana is working behind the scenes on a variety of issues that impact on iwi and Maori, and at times threaten the Maori Fisheries Settlement.

“Already this year, we have also made key submissions to Government select committees on the Emissions Trading Scheme review and the review of the Resource Management Act.

“These two issues alone have huge implications for Maori, Maori business in general and Maori fisheries in particular. It is crucial for Maori and iwi that we represent their views and their interests,” he said.

One of Te Ohu Kaimoana’s key roles is protecting – and ultimately building and enhancing – the Maori Fisheries Settlement.

“The reality is that Maori have had to fight for everything we have got. None of it has come easily. An equal reality is that we need to be vigilant and forceful in protecting the Settlement on behalf of iwi and Maori.

“There are forces and vested interests that threaten the Settlement and need to be met head-on. That’s what we do,” he said.

“It’s very easy for government and other groups to pay lip service to – or even worse run rough-shod over – Maori interests and rights. Our job is to make sure that doesn’t happen, and our track record on delivering on that is pretty good,” he said.

Mr Douglas said last month’s signing of the $97 million Aquaculture Deed of Settlement was the fruit of just that kind of approach.

“That settlement didn’t just happen by itself.  It was the culmination of
an intense period of work between the Crown and the iwi of Te
Waipounamu and Coromandel, with their advisors and Te Ohu Kaimoana,"
Mr Douglas said. 

An important submission Te Ohu Kaimoana made in April was on the Ministry of Fisheries’ Treaty Strategy – “again, we are looking to construct environments and processes that look after and respect Maori interests. We provide a Maori voice and perspective,” he said.

Mr Douglas said a lot of Te Ohu Kaimoana’s work is done under the radar.

“It’s often about putting a reasoned and substantive case for shaping a law or regulations or even a process so they better reflects the rights, interests and concerns of iwi and Maori.

Key to delivering that advocacy in the future will involve Te Ohu Kaimoana committing to working “better and closer” with iwi, he said.

“There is always room for improvement and we will be looking to communicate more closely with iwi about how we can work with them on their needs, goals and aspirations, and reflect their concerns and issues even better.

“Te Ohu Kaimoana is committed to doing that and committed to advancing the causes of Maori and iwi,” he said.

Note: Te Ohu Kaimoana’s submissions on the Foreshore and Seabed Act review, the Emissions Trading Scheme, the Resource Management Act and Ministry of Fisheries’ Treaty Strategy, and other issues can all be found at www.teohu.maori.nz

Further to the Aquaculture Deed of Settlement item in the May issue of iKARERE, the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Claims Settlement (Regional Agreements) Amendment Bill passed its first reading in Parliament and was recently referred to the Maori Affairs Select Committee for consideration. 

The Bill provides the Crown with an additional option for complying with its aquaculture pre-commencement space obligations. 

The Bill gives effect to an agreement between the Crown and iwi of the South Island and Hauraki for an early settlement of pre-commencement space obligations in those regions. The Bill will also provide the remaining iwi an opportunity for an early settlement in their rohe.

The closing date for submissions is 5pm, Friday 31 July and the committee
will report back by September 30.  For further information please contact Basil Tapuke (Basil.Tapuke@teohu.maori.nz) Aquaculture Development Manager at Te Ohu Kaimoana.

AFL signals big opportunities for iwi co-investment

Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd Chief Executive Jeremy Fleming used last week’s
half-yearly shareholder hui to target the potential for AFL-iwi co-investment, saying the investments need to take both parties further up “a long
value chain”. 

Mr Fleming told the Auckland hui that the greatest margins in the seafood sector are made by those closest to the consumer, and that iwi should either increase the scale of their investments or move further along that chain and closer to the consumer.

He said iwi were well positioned to contribute capital, quota and other resources in co-investments with AFL, but currently iwi direct investment is largely concentrated in quota.

AFL has strong investment plans in place, including upgrading processing capacity, market and operational consolidation, and new product and technology development.

He said that future co-investments with iwi could allow some of those
plans to move ahead faster, also advancing iwi’s stake and investment
in the sector. He said this would best be achieved on a project by project basis, targeting investment opportunities to the needs and capacities
of individual iwi.

He said the investments would need to fit with AFL’s strategic aims, but also with iwi’s values.

He said investment opportunities currently being advanced with iwi partners included those with multi-year ACE partners, and processing and marketing of Ngai Tahu abalone through its subsidiary, Prepared Foods Ltd (PFL).

Another key announcement as the hui was that AFL will be paying dividends from and including the 2009/10 financial year. Mr Fleming said the AFL Board believed the dividend for the financial year would be about $8 million.

In reporting on the six months to March 31 this year, Mr Fleming said it had been a difficult period for obvious economic reasons, with AFL’s net profit after tax a disappointing $15.4 million, down $0.7 million on the same period last year. He said best estimates at this point were for a full year net profit after tax of between $17.4 million and $22.6 million.