June 14, 2023
Iwi unite to protect fisheries settlement
The chair of Te Ohu Kaimoana says the Māori fisheries settlement trust will start pulling iwi together to work on alternatives to the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary.
A special general meeting yesterday overwhelmingly voted to reject the latest crown plan for the proposed sanctuary, which would have prohibited any commercial activity while committing $40 million over 20 years for research on aquatic life and fish stocks in the 620,000 square kilometre area.
Rangimarie Hunia says the fisheries settlement guaranteed iwi 20 percent of the quota in that space, which is more than twice the size of Aotearoa.
She says iwi want to be able go back to the drawing board to design and lead an indigenous-inspired solution to the health and well being of the moana.
“As we do that, protecting the settlement is sacrosanct and we must do all we can to make sure we don’t set precedents around the eradication of those rights. I though the message was well delivered. They’ve had many ¥ears to protect that and it was a fantastic hui,”
Ms Hunia says.
A solution that protects the moana doesn’t necessarily involve a sanctuary or marine reserve.