Te ahumahi kaimoana
Paua poaching threatens Māori rights
Recent media attention given to Te Kaha's light sentence for his part in a black market paua operation continue to remind us of the importance of protecting such a high-value species.
AFL CEO Robin Hapi says iwi and Māori have secured a very important position in the paua industry as substantial quota owners and they also have customary interests to consider.
“We need to ensure that our commercial and customary rights are not undermined by people working outside the law. The sustainability of this valuable resource is a challenge for all of us, “says Robin.
In the last three months, the Ministry of Fisheries took 23 cases involving paua poaching to court with a 100 percent success rate. The Ministry of Fisheries are asking anyone who sees suspicious activity to ring on 0800 4 POACHER – 0800 476 224.
Fish facts
According to the latest figures available from Statistics New Zealand, the total value of New Zealand 's fisheries assets has risen 30 percent in the last seven years to $3.5-billion. The rise from $2.7-billion (1996) was caused by more species been brought into the quota management system and increases in the asset values of the main stocks.
Ten key species under the QMS accounted for 80 percent of the value. Despite the recent cuts in hoki quota, hoki continues to be the mainstay stock of the industry representing nearly a quarter of the entire value of New Zealand 's fisheries assets at $815-million.
For more fish facts go to stats.govt.nz/analytical-reports/natural-resource-accounts/fish-natural-resource-accounts.htm
Rāhui on bay continues
The Ministry of Fisheries has extended an official ban on all fishing at Pukerua Bay on the Kapiti Coast until December 2006 which supports an iwi-initiated rāhui that is also in force.
Ngāti Toa with the backing of the local Residents' Association originally requested a temporary closure of Pukerua Bay in 2002 to allow fish stocks in the area to regenerate.
Ngāti Toa resource management officer Rā Pomare says a diving survey of the marine life at Pukerua Bay found it was not yet rebuilt sufficiently to allow the resumption of fishing.
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Tiakina ngā rawa hi ika, a tātou kaimoana mo ngā uri whakaheke
Protecting Māori fisheries assets for future generations