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Ref:658/03 |
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new zealand
- Mar 31, 2003 |
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Maori Seek Share of New
Zealand's Aquaculture Resources |
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SEAFOOD.COM NEWS by Ken Coons - March 31, 2003
New Zealand is preparing a new aquaculture plan to
be implemented next year, following the current
moratorium.
The Iwi are staking their claim to a share of the sea
farming resource just as they successfully did in the
multi million dollar commercial fisheries settlement
that took ten years to resolve.
According to the New Zealand Herald, the claims, which
follow a sympathetic Waitangi Tribunal report, are
likely to center on Maori being guaranteed access to a
percentage of newly created aquaculture management
areas. At least one iwi also believes Maori may have
rights over existing marine farms.
The aquaculture industry, seen as the rising star of
the fishing sector, has sales of $210 million
annually.
Under pending legislation, marine farming areas are
likely to be tendered for after suitable management
areas are designated by regional councils.
If Maori were granted guaranteed rights over the
areas, it would be a significant financial boost for
the iwi involved.
Shane Jones, Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission
chairman and architect of last year's fisheries
allocation model, says: 'The Maori claim is that we
have a proprietorial interest in the coastal resource
that is being tendered.'
'That interest may be satisfied in one of two ways.
Either 20 per cent of the funds earned are dedicated
to Maori development, or 20 per cent of the space is
held for Maori development purposes in the same ways
as the [fishing quota] was divided up.'
The 20 per cent figure has been taken from the latter
part of the fisheries settlement, the so-called
Sealord deal of 1992, when Maori were granted rights
over 20 per cent of new species under the quota
system.
Former politician Tutekawa Wyllie, of Gisborne's Ngai
Tamanuhiri, is heading an iwi working group on the
issue. He said the Government was attempting to push
the reforms through and did not expect to be
challenged by Maori.
He said the 20 per cent idea would work in only some
areas, where there was still plenty of marine farming
space.
When available space was already in use, Wyllie
suggested the Crown should have first right of
purchase on a 'willing buyer-willing seller' basis,
then use the waterspace to settle claims. 'The least
preferred option is compensation. That is not what
Maori want. We want to get into the business because
it is a more tangible way for Maori to participate in
the economy.'
The key to avoiding a repeat of the 'fishing debacle',
he said, was to ascertain the extent of the Maori
claim then have a unified approach to satisfying it.
A commission report giving a 'package' of ideas for
consultation will be available within the next couple
of weeks.
Nzoom.com reported that fisheries minister Pete
Hodgson does not want Maori claims to slow the
progress of the legislation.
He says in a statement the government does not want to
extend the current moratorium on consideration of new
resource consent applications for aquaculture, which
expires in March 2004. |
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