Media release
Tauranga Moana Iwi Pass Maindating Process
19 September 2007| Download as PDF - 187kb
The recent approval of Ngati Ranginui's and Ngaiterangi's fisheries entities to become mandated iwi organisations leaves only 11 iwi throughout the country to be approved under the Maori Fisheries Act.
The mandating of Ngati Ranginui Fisheries Trust and Te Runanga o Ngaiterangi Iwi Trust means each receive their share of the Maori Fisheries Settlement, almost $3,900,000 and $6,500,000 in fisheries assets respectively.
All three Tauranga Moana iwi have now passed through the mandating process after Ngati Pukenga was approved in September 2006. The latest approvals brings the total number of mandated iwi for the Mataatua electoral college area to seven out of the nine iwi - the only remaining iwi in Mataatua are Ngati Whare and Ngati Manawa, which are expected to be approved early in 2008.
Te Ohu Kaimoana chief executive Peter Douglas said the latest approvals should provide a good incentive for the remaining iwi to complete the governance and iwi strucuture requirements under the Maori Fisheries Act to receive their fisheries assets.
The iwi receive ownership of some deepwater quota, income shares in Aotearoa Fisheries Limited and cash, while the inshore, harbour, remaining deepwater and freshwater fishstocks will be allocated once adjacent iwi have also been mandated and agreements completed.
Speaking from Tauranga Moana, Ngati Ranginui chairperson Antoine Coffin said support to complete the Maori Fisheries Act mandating process came from over 99 percent of the iwi through a postal ballot. "It was an excellent turnout by our iwi members and we're pleased to have completed this process. We can now turn our attention to building an economic platform for Ngati Ranginui as well as positioning ourselves to complete settlements."
Mr Coffin said the main issue now for Ngati Ranginui is making sound investments to ensure their fisheries assets grow for the future benefit of the iwi.