October 02, 2013
Maori urged to get serious about fishing
There’s a call for iwi to get more serious about their involvement in the fishing industry.
Labour’s economic development spokesperson Shane Jones, a former chair of Te Ohu Kaimoana, says he was disappointed with the low Maori turn-out at this week’s Seafood New Zealand conference.
He says Maori in the industry need to become immersed in the business of fishing rather than the business of flicking quota.
He says by engaging with the wider industry they will be better placed to bring through the next generation.
"The fishing industry had always been an opportunity to absorb more young talent from Maoridom. It's been a great disappointment to me that we just haven't seen the numbers come through at quite the levels we aspired to back in the 90s," Mr Jones says.
He says the Seafood New Zealand Conference, the Maori fisheries conference and the aquaculture industry conference need to be scheduled for the same week so the whole industry can get together once a year.
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