Press Release from Te Ohu Kaimoana (The Maori Fisheries Trust)

Taranaki Iwi Receive Final Fisheries Instalments

Four Taranaki iwi have now received their full entitlement under the Maori Commercial Fisheries Settlement after agreements on coastlines that allow for the remaining settlement quota to be transferred to them.

Ngati Ruanui, Ngaruahine, Te Atiawa and Taranaki have finalised coastline agreements with each other allowing a further $2.2 million of inshore and remaining deepwater fisheries quota to be transferred to them.

A further two iwi – Ngati Mutunga (Taranaki) and Nga Rauru – received part of their inshore entitlement in relation to agreements with Te Atiawa and Ngati Ruanui respectively, but will receive the remaining settlement once they reach coastline agreements with their other iwi neighbours.

The Chairman of Te Ohu Kaimoana, Archie Taiaroa, said the increasing number of coastline agreements to finalise allocations to iwi was significant. “The enthusiasm to complete coastline agreements shows that iwi are committed more than ever to put the chapter of fisheries allocation behind them and develop their iwi – culturally, economically and socially.

Te Ohu Kaimoana Chief Executive Peter Douglas said the achievement of these iwi and Te Ohu Kaimoana has brought to nine (9) the iwi that have completed coastline agreements and received their full entitlements under the fisheries settlement. “We have only a handful of iwi left to achieve MIO status and those that are MIOs want to ensure they are transferred their full share of the settlement.

Mr Douglas said, however, that Te Ohu Kaimoana would continue to explore ways to bring the remaining iwi through the mandating process. “Those iwi that are not making progress on implementing management and constitutional structures are holding up allocation to their neighbours. We need to look at ways to encourage them to come through and also for other iwi to encourage them to come through.

The table below shows the value of the coastline and population assets. The figures below are approximate only.

IWI; APPROX COASTLINE (NZ$); APPROX POPULATION (NZ$); APPROX TOTAL (NZ$)

Ngati Mutunga; 2400; 347,000 (Sept 2006); 349,400

Te Atiawa; 439,600; 2,980,000 (Sept 2006); 3,419,600

Taranaki; 943,900; 1,264,000 (Sept 2006); 2,207,900

Ngaruahine; 432,200; 690,000 (April 2008); 1,122,200

Ngati Ruanui; 449,100; 1,195,000 (Mar 2006); 1,644,100;

Nga Rauru; 19,200; 691,000 (Aug 2007); 710,200

ENDS

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