14 August 2002

Embargoed To 11:00am, Wednesday, 14 Aug 2002

Fisheries Development Fund Proposed By Commission

Research into and restoration of freshwater fisheries will be able to be supported from the Fisheries Development Fund, one of the proposals for allocation released by the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission today.

“The Fisheries Development Fund will be able to support research and investigations into freshwater fisheries, aquaculture and marine fisheries to advance both commercial and customary use,” the Chief Executive of the Commission, Robin Hapi, said today.

“This $10 million fund will boost Te Ohu Kai Moana’s ability to work with Iwi to advance key fisheries interests,” he said.

He said that concerns by some parties over whether the Commission has adequately provided for the loss of Commercial Freshwater Fisheries should be allayed through these proposals.

“Some parties have said an allocation model must provide for the loss of commercial freshwater fisheries. We have taken that on board in the development of these proposals. An integral component of them is to place more emphasis on allocating fisheries quota on a population basis.”

The Fisheries Settlement with the Crown settled both marine and freshwater commercial fisheries. “Incorporating freshwater fisheries into our allocation proposals in several ways both recognises in part what was lost and what can be positively provided now,” he said.

Mr Hapi said the $10 million fund would be established with the agreement of Iwi. It will be a contestable fund to advance generic research on impacts of land-use change, the introduction of foreign organisms on indigenous fisheries, as well as particular aspects that could serve as a pilot for restoration efforts across the country.

The allocation proposals released today also include allocation of freshwater fisheries quota to Iwi living within a quota management area and the formation of a freshwater fisheries working group to work with Iwi and hapu involved in initiatives on freshwater fisheries.

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