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Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

Cray quotas slashed along east coast

More bad news for Maori fishing in the wake of the Sealord decision to cut 180 jobs at its Nelson processing plant.

Now crayfish quotas are being slashed on the East Coast, Hawkes Bay and Wellington regions.

Ngati Kahungungu chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana, the deputy chair of Te Ohu Kaimoana, says the cut of quota by 9 percent on the coast and 40 percent in the Hawkes Bay/ Wellington region will cost the industry millions of dollars and could force small operators out of business.

“Well it’s almost endemic now right through the fishing industry but it’s come at a time when everything else is going down too so it’s quite traumatic for those in the industry but without these cute there won’t be an industry in a few years time. These cuts to Cray 4 and Sealord were predicated over the last five years and haven’t happened because of the recession, they’ve happened because the industry is trying to get more efficient,” Mr Tomoana says.

Limits in the much smaller Otago fishery will increase by 45 per cent and in Southland by 5 per cent.

GIANT MUSSEL FAR BUILD OUT DELAYED FOR MORE RESEARCH

And development of what will be the world's largest mussel farm is being delayed.

The 3800ha marine farm off the coast near Opotiki is expected to create up to 900 jobs in the Eastern Bay of Plenty township and generate up to $34 million a year,


Watene Horsfall, the chief executive of the Whakatohea Maori Trust Board, says the delay of up to two years is to investigate other fish species which could be incorporated into the project.

He says despite the delay the first mussel lines will go in shortly on a trial basis.
“We have applied for funding to investigate the most valuable species we can grow out on the farm. We want to make sure apart from mussels we have other options, particularly with fin fish farming and also certain species of other shell fish,” Mr Horsfall says.

A change of use consent might have to be lodged after Nelson’s Cawthorn Institute produces a report on other shellfish that could be farmed.


RUIA MAKES WORLD SONGWRITINGS FINAL

He is widely celebrated here in New Zealand, and now the rest of the world is catching on to the musical talents of Ruia Aperahama.

His song Rere Reta, from the album 12.24, is a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition's World Music category, which attracted 15,500 entrants around the world

The winner will be announced in April.

Aperahama says his song, about two lovers having a crisis in a Wellington cafe as the Foreshore and Seashore hikoi to parliament marches by, draws comparisons with Maori having a relationship breakdown with the crown.

He says his semi-political, semi-romantic songs are helping to secure Maoridom's place on the worldwide map.

“This is another step towards not just self promotion of Ruia and Ruia music but hopefully it’s another step towards promotion of te reo Maori and tikanga around the world because I believe Maori in its right time and place will make a huge contribution to the fabric of the world,” Mr Aperahama says.

12:24 was judged best Maori Album at the NZ Music Industry Awards last year.

MUSSELL FARM LOOKS AT HIRING PLANS

Local Maori and not displaced Sealord workers will get the jobs at the world's largest mussel farm being developed in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Sealord, which is cutting 180 processing jobs at its Nelson plant, has a 36 percent stake in 3800 ha farm 6 kilometers off Opotiki.

Watene Horsfall, is the chief executive of the Whakatohea Maori Trust Board, says it will create up to 900 jobs for locals.

“Those jobs they lost were at the end of the chain on processing mussels but here we are talking about growing which they get from their own farms. The kaupapa of our project is to employ Whakatohea people or people from the Opotiki area because it’s a low decile as far as employment is concerned. Local people are going to get the first opportunities,” Mr Horsfall says.

The first mussel lines will be going in shortly on a trial basis, but the larger development has been delayed so the farming of other fish species can be investigated.

The project is expected to generate $34 million a year.

THREE STRIKES POLICY GUARANTEED TO FAIL

A former Corrections Department head says ACT’s three strikes and you’re out Bill not before a select committee won’t work.

Kim Workman, who is now a Families Commissioner after a spell heading rehabilitation group Prison Fellowship, says eight states in the United States are trying to scrap the policy because it hasn't reduced reoffending.

“New Zealand doesn't need it. It has a lot of downsides to it. For example evidence overseas is when an offender comes to the third strike and they know they are going to be tucked away for 25 years, then they just don’t care, and so if they have committed a serious crime and before they are apprehended they are likely to kill or to commit further offences. Therefore the seriousness of the offences increases,” Mr Workman says.

He says there has been a positive response from Maori to reducing domestic and family violence, with many whanau are now more prepared to report incidents.

He says many crimes may not be reported if whanua believe it could mean the perpetrator will will be locked away for a long time.

AUNTY ELLA TO FRONT NEW SERIES FOR THE TIMES

A new television show, Aunty Comes to Stay, is aiming to help Maori during economic hardship.

The show, produced by Kiwa Media will go into production this week and one of its stars, Ella Henry says it's all about whanau helping whanau by going into the community for fundraising events and the like.

Ms Henry says unlike other reality shows, "Aunty comes to stay", is not about humiliation, it is about helping whanau achieve goals.

“We've got a group of wahine Maori and we’re available to help whanau solve problems. There are a bunch of other programmes out there trying to solve problems for whanau, but we think we’ve got an approach that is very Maori-oriented, Maori-centred,” Ms Henry says.

Aunty comes to stay will screen on Maori Television later in the year.

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