Te Ohu Kaimoana committed to protecting and representing Māori interests at the United Nations
5 September 2018
Te Ohu Kaimoana Chairman Jamie Tuuta travelled to New York on Monday (3 September 2018) as a member of the New Zealand
delegation that will participate in discussions on a new international agreement on Biodiversity Beyond National
Jurisdiction (BBNJ). The international community is discussing ways in which marine biodiversity in international waters
should be managed in the future. Te Ohu Kaimoana considers that mātauranga Māori and ensuring that Māori rights are
protected will form a fundamental part of that kōrero.
Te Ohu Kaimoana has previously discussed BBNJ with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT), including the ways in which Māori are able to contribute to New Zealand’s participation at the United
Nations (UN) on this matter. The Right Honourable Winston Peters, Minister of Foreign Affairs has since made a seat
available on the New Zealand delegation for Te Ohu Kaimoana.
The UN General Assembly agreed Resolution 72/249 in December 2017 to convene an international conference to develop an
agreement on BBNJ under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). UNCLOS enables coastal states to manage
fisheries resources within their Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ). It also provides for management benefits to extend to
straddling stocks. In the Aotearoa context, this applies to fisheries like Orange Roughy off the West Coast of the South
Island (ORH 7A).
BBNJ is an emerging global issue that Te Ohu Kaimoana considers could once again have an impact on the marine
environment generally and Iwi rights and interests. At a meeting arranged at the United Nations by Pew Environment Group
in 2015, The Right Honourable John Key gave the then US Secretary of State, John Kerry, an undertaking to create the
600,000sq km no-take marine protected area outside of the Kermadec Island Marine Reserve. This undertaking was in
conflict with hard-fought Māori fishing rights owned by all Iwi in that part of Aotearoa's EEZ. The ‘Kermadec Ocean
Sanctuary’ issue clearly demonstrated to Māori and Te Ohu Kaimoana that events which have their genesis overseas can
adversely affect Māori rights and interests in Aotearoa.
There will be two more conferences in 2019 and a fourth session is scheduled for 2020. Te Ohu Kaimoana intends to
provide Iwi with a presentation and/or workshop on this issue later this year or in the first of quarter of next year.
Te Ohu Kaimoana expects that it will take some time before the full extent and reach of this new agreement will be
known.
About Te Ohu Kaimoana:
Te Ohu Kaimoana was established through the Māori Fisheries Act 2004, and works to advance Māori interests in the marine
environment, including customary fisheries, commercial fisheries and aquaculture as well as providing policy and
fisheries management advice to iwi and the wider Māori community.
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