The chair of the largest Māori-owned seafood company, Moana New Zealand, says the purchase of Independent Fisheries by Sealord Group is fulfilling the promise of the 1992 Māori Fisheries Settlement.
Moana is already the country’s biggest inshore fishery operator, and it has a 50 percent shareholding in deepwater fishing company Sealord, which is finalising the purchase of Christchurch-based Independent Fisheries.
Rachael Taulalei says it will make the combined entity the country’s top commercial fishing business.
“That’s a manifestation of the Māori Fisheries Settlement. You know, the vision that our leaders at that time had for us in fisheries was to really dominate this sector. So when you are the biggest game in town from an inshore and a deepwater standpoint, you really have a great voice in the right places,” she says.
Rachel Taulelei says its been a tough couple of years for the business because of weather extremes, boat issues, and tougher world markets… but Māori are in it for the long haul.
