WHY?

We run a post saying that current Te Ohu Kai Moana chair Ngahiwi Tomoana was about to be rolled and on Friday it was made official. Blogger - the platform that runs our blog got tangled up in some Google maintenance issues and was broken for much of Friday and Saturday so hence we could not update.

The TOKM trustee company is essentially the legal repository for all Maori fish assets.

Te Kawai Taumata, the Electoral College whose role is to appoint directors to Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Limited, has appointed three new members and re-appointed one existing member to the board.

Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Limited is the corporate trustee for Te Ohu Kai Moana, the Maori Fisheries Settlement Trust and the Takutai Trust - the Maori Commercial Aquaculture Settlement Trust. Directors are appointed to four year terms.

The Chair of Te Kawai Taumata, Naida Glavish, a former Commissioner on the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission, said the decision on who to appoint to the board was difficult because there were a number of excellent candidates who offered a mix of sound business and commercial skills and commitment to tikanga Maori.

The new directors are:

Mr Matiu Rei, the Executive Director of Te Runanga o Toa Rangatira;

Ms Hinerangi Raumati, currently an alternate director of Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Limited, a trustee for the Public Trust and recently appointed the Chief Financial Officer for Te Wananga o Aotearoa; and

Mr Jamie Tuuta, Ngati Mutunga, a self-employed business consultant.

The directors replace the late Sir Archie Te Atawhai Taiaroa, Hon Koro Wetere, who is retiring, and Mr Ngahiwi Tomoana, the current chairman.

Current director, Mr Rikirangi Gage, the chief executive of Te Whanau a Apanui, was reappointed for a second four-year term.

Ms Glavish thanked Mr Wetere and Mr Tomoana for their service and commitment to the Maori seafood industry. "Maori own or influence almost half of New Zealand's commercial fishing industry, have sole interest in our country's customary fisheries and are active recreational fishers. They are also increasingly involved in aquaculture. Through Koro and Ngahiwi's constructive, collaborative leadership over the years, Maori involvement in the fishing industry has been strengthened considerably."

The sole function of Te Kawai Taumata is to appoint and remove the directors of Te Ohu Kai Moana Trustee Limited. It is made up of 11 members appointed by 10 regional groupings of iwi and one member on behalf of Representative Maori Organisations.

Te Kawai Taumata Members are: Naida Glavish (Chairman) representing Taitokerau; Na Raihania (Deputy Chairman) Takitimu; Graeme Morrell, Ngapuhi; Chris McKenzie, Tainui; Willie Emery, Te Arawa Waka; Tamati Cairns, Mataatua; Api Mahuika, Porourangi; Sam Tamarapa, Hauauru; Ngarongo Iwikatea Nicholson, Te Moana o Raukawa; Maui Solomon, Waipounamu/Rekohu; Sharyn Watene, Representative Maori.

There is huge discontent about the way Maori Fisheries assets are being handled. We have received a number of emails on the issue that indicate that Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd, the company that holds all the fisheries companies and Sealords may see some changes on their boards.

Maori are one of the big three in fishing now along side Talleys and Sanfords. The industry is worth about $1.4 billion a year. In any other comparable industry of this size there would be journalists all over this story as it has ramifications for all Maori and indeed all New Zealanders.