December 19, 2014
Fish asset distribution nearing end
The Maori Fisheries Settlement Trust has has now distributed 98 percent of its population-based assets totalling almost $400 million to 57 iwi.
Te Ohu Kaimoana’s 2014 annual report shows only two iwi have not picked up their share of the Maori fisheries settlement – Ngati Tama in north Taranaki and Te Whanau a Apanui in the eastern Bay of Plenty.
It says Ngati Tama should have a mandated iwi organisation in place by September 2015, at which stage its quota and the 354 shares in Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd will be transferred over to it.
Those shares are now worth $586,000.
Te Whanau a Apanui is holding off forming a mandated iwi authority until it completes its treaty settlement, so it can create a single governance authority.
It is owed 2976 shares worth $4.9 million.
Some 43 iwi have now reached coastline agreements allowing them to take delivery of inshore quota.
The commission has also started to use power it has to settle coastline allocations where no agreement can be reached, and today handed over $14 million in coastline assets to, Te Runanga o Toa Rangatira and Te Runanga a Rangitane o Wairau.
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