Press Release from Te Ohu Kaimoana (Maori Fisheries Trust)

HEADLINE: Ngapuhi, Waikato receive coastline fisheries assets

Ngapuhi and Waikato are the latest iwi to receive assets previously held in trust by Te Ohu Kaimoana, having completed coastline agreements with neighbouring iwi, Te Ohu Kaimoana chief executive Peter Douglas said today.

Ngapuhi, which was the first iwi to form a mandated iwi organisation in 2005, received its allocation of $2.5 million in quota and cash last week for completing all its coastline agreements, while Waikato received $1.78 million for completion of agreements on its west coast, Mr Douglas said.

“These are very significant agreements that have been reached and allow the transfer of assets from Te Ohu Kaimoana to the iwi.

He said 27 of the country’s 57 iwi now had full or partial coastline agreements, and Ngati Whare had recently become the 49th iwi to form a mandated iwi organisation (MIO).

Under the Maori Fisheries Act, the Fisheries Settlement is allocated to MIOs on the basis of an iwi’s size and the agreed length of its coastline.

Mr Douglas said that Te Ohu Kaimoana is putting a tremendous amount of work into assisting neighbouring iwi in reaching their coastline agreements with their neighbouring iwi.

“A lot has been achieved in the last year in this area, and a lot more is still to be achieved.

“Te Ohu Kaimoana is committed to working with iwi to work with each other and come to common agreement on where their coastline boundaries meet.

“The emphasis really is on co-operation and stepping forward into the future so that all iwi and Maori can have their full entitlements and build successful futures through the Fisheries Settlement,” he said.

Ngapuhi chairman Sonny Tau said he was delighted with the completion of the iwi’s coastline agreements.

“We have worked long and hard with our neighbouring iwi to come to these agreements and there has been a lot of good will on all sides. It augurs well for the future,” Mr Tau said.

Tainui chairman Tukoroirangi Morgan said he too was very pleased with Waikato’s progress towards full coastline agreements.

“We’re working very well on this and have made excellent progress. It really is a case of co-operation being in everyone’s mutual interests,” he said.

As a mandated iwi organisation, Ngati Whare had its share of Fisheries Settlement assets and allocations of in excess of $1 million transferred to it by Te Ohu Kaimoana last week.

ENDS

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