May 16, 2013
AFL push to renew Māori fishing fleet
Pan-Māori fishing company Aotearoa Fisheries wants a new fleet.
There was discussion at yesterday’s national Māori Fisheries Conference about the relatively low investment by iwi in boats in the 20 years since the Māori fisheries settlement.
Aotearoa Chief Executive Carl Carrington says newer and more efficient vessels in the inshore fleet can increase the quality of the catch, creating more value for quota holders and crews.
He says Aotearoa Fisheries doesn’t want to invest directly, but it has a strategy to help iwi get into boats by giving them a compelling story to take to their banks.
"It's the right sort of boats. It's underwriting them with a decent sort of catch plan. It's about having the right sorts of fishing technology and it's about changing the model. Instead of being cottage industry players we've got to be very professional, back the best fishermen and give them the catch plans that enable them to be economic," Mr Carrington says.
Fishers need longer term agreements by companies rather than year by year deals.
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