5th Annual Māori Fisheries Conference

Thursday, 25 March 2010, 1:23 pm
Press Release: Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc

Te Matau A Maui 5th Annual Māori Fisheries Conference

29-30th March 2010

New Zealand has the world’s fourth largest fisheries area and the seafood industry is our country’s fifth biggest export earner with an increase in annual earnings to around $1.35 billion. It is estimated that Māori exercise effective control of approximately 50% of the entire industry which now has an estimated resource value of NZ$3.97 billion.

The Treaty Tribes Coalition will host the 5th Te Matau A Maui Annual Māori Fisheries Conference at the War Memorial Conference Centre on Marine Parade in Napier. The significance of this conference and its ongoing success is a clear indicator that Māori are successful key players in the New Zealand seafood industry.

Previous conferences have focused on domestic matters including establishing relationships with Māori and non Māori fishing companies. Our interest in fishing has now matured to a stage where together we can look at addressing our collective export interests and create the whanaunga relationships with countries and cities that receive our products. Therefore the theme for the conference is “Kotahitanga – Offshore for sure. Let’s make more not take more”. The theme clearly suggests that Māori are now looking to improve and expand into better off shore opportunities.

Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated Chairman, Mr Ngahiwi Tomoana says that culture is prerequisite to good long term relationships. This conference will be focusing on a collective Māori export strategy. “Just as the ‘Māori Battalion’ shook the fighting world during the 2nd World War and just as the ‘Te Maori exhibition’ shook the cultural world 25 years ago, I believe that Māori export potential can shake the world and bring culture and commerce together”, said Mr Tomoana.

A variety of inspiring guests are lined up to present at the conference. Dominating a major part of the conference will be presentations from the Lee Group that operates out of Europe, USA and Asia and which markets and distributes seafood to wholesalers, restaurants and supermarkets worldwide. Ian Taylor, one of New Zealand’s leading Māori innovators will be presenting on how a ‘Raupunga Boy’ takes on the world in business. Giants in Māori Fisheries development, Sir Tipene O’Reagan and Shane Jones will be give key presentations on the past as they project forward into ‘a fisheries future we can call our own’.

The two day conference will be held at the Napier War Memorial Conference Centre on the 29-30th March 2010. The powhiri will take place at 4pm Sunday 28th March at Matahiwi Marae, Hawke’s Bay.

ENDS

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