Ngapuhi the Biggest Winners or Losers from TOKM Review

Ngapuhi the Biggest Winners or Losers from TOKM Review

Ngāpuhi could end up being the biggest winners or the biggest losers in a proposed major shake up of Māori fisheries organisation Te Ohu Kai Moana (TOKM).

Wellington barrister Tim Castles recently released the review he had undertaken on behalf of TOKM. Some of his proposals currently being talked through with iwi up and down the country include abolishing TOKM, reviewing how the Māori quota is managed and strengthening iwi’s hand in the management of Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd (AFL).

Representatives of the Iwi Working Group – a committee working through the Castles recommendations – met with Mandated Iwi Organisations from the North this week in Kaikohe.

Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-O-Ngāpuhi Chair Rāniera (Sonny) Tau said abandoning TOKM completely is very short sighted when Māori are in the business of fishing forever.

“If we as Ngāpuhi agree to devolving TOKM we could potentially be $10m better off, but I think that’s short sighted,” he said.

“We will still need a body to represent and advocate for Māori fisheries issues in policy and legislative changes. No single organisation is better able to do that for Maori than TOKM.”

Sonny said abandoning TOKM would also disadvantage smaller iwi. Smaller iwi will stand no show of fulfilling advocacy roles with wider industry operators who constantly try to undermine Māori Fisheries Settlement entitlements.

He said he supported the idea of reducing the size of a TOKM like entity and the suggestion it should provide administrative support to its affiliates, Te Putea Whakatipu and Te Wai Māori Trust.

“There’s also a proposal to remove the layers of bureaucracy around AFL and make them more accountable to their shareholders which is us. We [Ngāpuhi] have the largest stake in AFL with a 20% shareholding,” said Sonny.

The review is a legislative requirement of the Māori Fisheries Act 2004. A special general meeting of TOKM has been called for June 4 to consider the Iwi Working Group’s recommendations following consultative hui with iwi. These recommendations will then be voted on by all iwi across the country.

ENDS

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